Analysis of the Hard HRM Approach - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1594 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Hard HRM is calculative and tough which assimilates policies of human resources with business strategy. Human Resources are viewed as passive, to be provided and deployed as numbers and skills at the right price, rather than the source of creative energy (Legge, 1995, p.66-67). Contrary to this, soft model emphasises on treating employees as valued assets who can enhance the competitive advantage of the organisation with their commitment, skills, knowledge and adaptability. Soft HRM Approach: Soft HRM approach sees employees as worthy competencies capable of continuous development and seeks a strong, long term commitment. Hard HRM has a parallel approach that includes low levels of commitment from the employees and involves low level of staff training and sophistication. However, in order to sustain the financial crunch organisations resort to HRM actions like redundancy which affects employee commitment. Layoffs and remuneration cuts were attributed to reduced market demand. Operational strategies were executed mainly to secure companys long term profitability and focus on its core businesses. This method of hard approach in HRM is met with severe criticism from employees and union representatives. In such a scenario, soft approach employs a friendly way to face the changed market situation. Employees are temporarily laid off and offered pension schemes and reassigns rather than termination. They are supported financially through reemployment measures. This characte rises a soft approach that aims at continuation of business for a long time. For instance, Tesco introduced a high commitment model which offers sophisticated training and development to its employees that led to an increase in their business and eventually expanded to new markets (Rosana, 2008) General Motors (GM), the owner of Vauxhall offered a eight month sabbatical to its employees as GM struggled for billions of dollars of funding from the government. The company warned that it might run out of money by the end of the year. The company is considering pay cuts, shorter shifts and four day weeks to avoid job losses. The company slowed down its production and employees were given just base pay but they owe the company that time in the future when production increases. On a similar note, BMW announced a four week shutdown while Nissan closed down for two weeks. Bentley worked on three day week to minimise its costs (Lavan, 2008). Paradoxically, there were industries that expanded in recession. Few banks and government businesses made decent profits such as Goldman Sachs and Barclays. Supermarkets and value chains such as Primark, Aldi gathered momentum as consumers traded down. They sourced supplies cheaply, bought stocks in huge bulks and low marketing strategies. They operated on no frill approach that considerably reduced their costs and passed these savings onto their customers. Budget airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet picked up profits as they maintained low cost strategy (McDougall, 2009) Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Analysis of the Hard HRM Approach" essay for you Create order CONCLUSION Recession seriously hampers the performance of an organisation and at times even their existence. However, not all firms are affected in an adverse way. They consider it as an opportunity to expand their business into new markets, invest aggressively and establish a competitive advantage over others. They develop proactive marketing and construct new proposals to capitalize on the perceived change and achieve superior business performance. Well branded firms that have good support and services, differentiated products derive benefits from proactive marketing during recession. (Srinivasan, Rangaswamy, Lilien, 2005) E RECRUITMENT The fundamental goal of an organisation is to recruit high quality employees and due to the advancements made in technology, prospective applicants are selected with a new marketing trend towards internet based recruitment. The web based selection has gained immense popularity especially in multinational companies that recruit a diverse workforce. The term e recruitment refers to the use of technology to attract candidates and enhance the speed of recruitment protocol. Among the job seekers, online searches proved to be quite popular and this could be attributed to the ease and convenience that it provides. Internet job hunting streamlines the selection process of applicants and hiring organisations. E recruitment involves advertising and making job applications, back office processes that require integration between the human resources and operation managers to set up a database of the recruits. According to reports it is estimated that 90% of large companies across the globe a re recruiting via web. ADVANTAGES Web based forms filled out by the recruits presumably incur fewer costs. The resumes can be sorted by using the internet and organisations can contact the prospective candidates. Recruitment pages can be added to the organisational sites that already exist to advertise openings and market themselves to job seekers spanning across the globe. (Lori Foster Thompson et.al, 2008) Individual company web page play a critical role in electronic recruitment as it gives an overview of the organisation which includes the corporate values, benefits and evaluates the employers. (Thompson, Braddy, Wuensch, Computers in Human Behaviour, 2008) Organisational homepages should be designed with potential recruits in mind since good formatting and easy functionality will enhance a websites appeal. The use of bulleted text, attractive colours and bold fonts augments the online job advertisement. It must be ensured that the website functions reliably and is easy to use. Web pages must be easy to nav igate and allow access to the information which the user want to. An organization with strong reputation and global presence found their corporate website attracted more applicants (Pearce Tuten, 2001). The growth of e recruitment has been driven by a combination of cost savings in the selection process, increased efficiency and ease to the hiring organisation as well as the recruit. Recent CIPD survey findings state that advertising job vacancies on the employers own website is fourth most popular recruitment method. Most corporate companies that use web based recruitment reported 73% cost reduction. The applicant could be directed to the website that gives out vast information and an opportunity to apply immediately (Recruit Active, 2010). Interested applicants can browse the employers website and register for speculative vacancies available now or in the future. By retaining the promising candidates for future and contacting them in future when the appropriate vacancy is adve rtised, generates applicants for free and involves no intermediaries. Applicants are held on a single system and can be contacted easily thus reducing the administration cost, time and efforts. The pre filtering of candidates by using job specific questions and selection techniques allows the employer to select the most appropriate candidate. This is very important in todays competitive market since a potential recruit will have wide options to choose from and would like an instant response (Netsite, 2010). E recruitment must be in conjunction with other traditional hiring techniques such as newspaper advertisements, personal referrals, search engines and a well implemented strategy will make the recruitment process more successful as pointed out by Pearce Tuten (2001). Cullen (2001) supported that e recruitment must be integrated into overall recruiting and selection strategy that includes intricate behavioral and skills assessment, interviewing and more means to identify and s ource candidates. It is estimated that about 75% of HR professionals are using internet in addition to traditional recruitment methods today. Elswick (2000) cited in (Bussler Davis, 2001-2002) that a good e recruitment system could bring lower cost by 90%. It creates massive savings financially to the organizations. (Cullen, 2001), Most widely adopted assumptions of e recruitment is that it saves time. (Bussler Davis, 2001-2002). This system reduces the hiring time by two-thirds since its fast paced. DISADVANTAGES However, there are certain drawbacks associated with the use of e recruitment. The first issue being discrimination to a non internet user. This might seem easy in the beginning but is bureaucratic at a later stage. It is claimed that e recruitment has a bad impact on certain ethnic minorities. (Flynn) (Arkin Crabb) A formidable sample of our population today has no access to internet so they might lack the necessary skills needed for online recruitment. Arkin and Crabb (1999) stated that companies find it difficult to recruit candidates at an executive level and prefer personal contact. E recruitment tends to hire candidates at junior level and usually prefer new university graduates. Use of e recruitment can cause biased selection procedures which could lead to legal disputes (Flynn, 2000). There is a high risk of an overload of resumes as it is easier to fill in applications online which generate a high volume of unqualified candidates. (Pearce Tuten, 2001) E recruitment involves certain amount of risk as all personal details become transparent and exposure cannot be avoided at times which is a security threat. Misleading or incorrect information may be provided by the applicants since there is no first hand verification of the data enclosed. It is essential that the organizations develop a specialized applicant tracking software to carefully scrutinize the large number of applications (Jackson and Mathis, 219). People in the selection process must be thoroughly trained so that they evaluate the aspiring applicant accurately and aim for long term retention goals. Despite these short comings, e recruitment is a much sought after method of recruitment as the advantages supersede its drawbacks. CONCLUSION In short e recruitment can be regarded as the evolving face of recruitment and often called talent acquisition since it is all about resourcing right people for the right job at the right place. E recruitment requires a huge amount of initial capital to develop a website that is user friendly, interactive and fast working. While established approaches such as newspaper advertising, brochures or recruitment agencies are economical and hence are very unlikely to be replaced by e recruitment in future. Technological developments and increased web usage should improve the e recruitment considerably. (Human Resource Management, Derek Torrington et.al)

Mamas Dream in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is about a family living in the slums of Chicago who are financially struggling to get out. The Youngers appear to value money and education more than family, except for Mama who has unwavering resolve throughout the story and puts family first. The Youngers depend on the financial assistance from the check. Mama has the most logical dream of buying a house for the family because the family would have better living conditions, the house could be passed down to further generations, and Ruth could keep the baby she has chosen to abort. Admittedly, one might contend here that Beneatha’s dream of becoming a doctor and Walter’s dream of owning a liquor store is more beneficial because they will eventually earn the money to buy a house for the family. However, neither Beneatha’s nor Walter’s dream will match the immediacy of Mama’s. Her dream of owning a house will transpire, in a shorter amount of time, after she receives the insurance money. The Youngers will not have to demur buying a house to fulfill Beneatha’s and Walter’s dream. First, the Younger’s will have better living conditions and fewer repairs. Lifestyle changes are one of the key reasons people choose to move (â€Å"Our Town America† n.p.). When the Youngers receive the insurance money, the condition of the house is starting to dilapidate and become a health hazard. The Younger household is now a home to indestructible contradictions that were once full of love and careShow MoreRelatedEssay on Compare Contrast a Raisin in the Sun1026 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and Contrast A Raisin In The Sun Essay In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, and 1961 movie written by Lorraine Hansberry and presented by Columbia pictures, one of the most important themes is the American Dream. Many of the characters have hopes and dreams. They all strive towards their goals throughout. However, many of the characters have different dreams that clash with each other. Problems seem to arise when different people’s dreams conflict with one anotherRead More A Comparison of the Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun and Harlem1407 Words   |  6 PagesA Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun and Harlem In Lorraine Hansberrys play A Raisin in the Sun, the author reveals a hard-working, honest African-American family struggling to make their dreams come true. Langston Hughes poem, Harlem, illustrates what could happen if those dreams never came to fruition. Together, both Hansberry and Hughes show the effects on human beings when a long-awaited dream is thwarted by economic and social hardships. Each of the characters in A RaisinRead MoreEssay on Follow Your Dreams1914 Words   |  8 PagesDreams are aspirations that reflect a human’s wants and desires in life. They are a fundamental element that drives human beings to achieve the impossible. Dreams have the ability to motivate oneself to set goals and ideals for the future. Each person in some part of their life has had desires that they would like to accomplish. Without these desires, there is nothing to motivate one’s actions and attitude. However, most people believe that satisfaction only exists once a dream is achieved. LouisaRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun1527 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is about the Younger Family who live in a small apartment in Chicago. The family is torn apart as every member has different dreams and goals, yet Mama and her daughter-in-law Ruth desperately attempt to hold the family all together. In both the movie and the play, the fami ly’s dreams remain the same. Mama wants her family to get along and she wants to purchase a house. Her son, Walter, wants the life insurance money from his father to invest in a liquor store to achieve hisRead MoreExamples Of Dreams In A Raisin In The Sun849 Words   |  4 PagesHopes and Dreams can take a long period of time to be achieved. A Raisin in the sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry. This story takes place in the 1950s, it is a story that tells readers about daily lives of people of color, their hopes, and dreams in America. Hansberry talks about the younger family. The younger family has to deal with a lot of hard obstacles that a person in America now wouldn’t have had to face. The central idea of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is in order to achieveRead Moreâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†700 Words   |  3 PagesLorraine Hansberry used symbolism in her successful drama, â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† to portray emotions felt in the lives of her characters and possible her own. Hansberry set her piece in Chicago’s South Side, probably the early 1950’s. During this period in history, many African-Americans, like the Youngers, struggled to overcome the well-known prejudices that were far too familiar. The main scene, in this touching realist drama, is the home of the Youngers, an overcrowded run-down apartment. Read MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1120 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A raisin in the sun† was written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play was not expected to do so well because it had one white cast member, an inexperienced director, and an untried playwright. Set in the south side of Chicago in the 1950s, the play begins in the morning in the Youngers apartment. Their apartment has two bedrooms, one for mama and Beneatha, and one for Ruth and Walter, while Walter’s son Travis sleeps on the couch in the living room. Ruth gets up first and talks and Walter and TravisRead MoreA Dream D eferred - a Literary Comparison1878 Words   |  8 PagesThe Dream Deferred – A Comparison Kristy Andrews Axia College of University of Phoenix In Lorraine Hansberrys play A Raisin in the Sun, the author reveals a hard-working, honest African-American family struggling to make their dreams come true. Langston Hughes poem, Harlem, illustrates what could happen if those dreams never came to fruition. Together, both Hansberry and Hughes show the effects on human beings when a long-awaited dream is thwarted by economic and social hardships. Each ofRead More Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun Essay575 Words   |  3 Pages Conflict in A Raisin in the Sun amp;#9;In the play A Raisin in the Sun, the playwright Lorraine Hansberry depicts the life of an impoverished African American family living on the south side of Chicago. The Youngers, living in a small apartment and having dreams larger than the world in which the live, often use verbal abuse as a way to vent their problems. Many times, this verbal abuse leads to unnecessary conflict within the family. The most frequently depicted conflict is that between WalterRead MoreEssay on Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun1050 Words   |  5 PagesWhat Happens to a Dream Deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run? (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred. Walter has long dreamed of making his family’s

A Year Round Education and Staff Burnout Free Essays

As our population increases, schools are being faced with the problems of overcrowding and under funding. Many school districts are proposing a year round education program. I feel that year round education is only a â€Å"quick fix† for school districts d will be detrimental to teachers children and families. We will write a custom essay sample on A Year Round Education and Staff Burnout or any similar topic only for you Order Now Over crowding in schools is becoming a problem in almost all communities. Many schools are building trailers and additions to accommodate a higher capacity. Some districts are proposing building new schools. This raises issues of changing boundarie bussing, and higher taxes. Some districts are proposing a multi- track year round education program. On the surface, year round education seems a logical solution to the overcrowding. Children are separated into four tracks. Each track follows a different schedule going to school for six weeks then having three weeks off. This means that there is a ays one track out of school. This plan increases the school†s capacity by 25%. The year round education plan will only temporarily save taxpayers money. Schools were not made to be year round facilities, many schools are no even air conditioned. Maintenance and janitorial staff will need to be hired full time year round. They ll have to put in over time to get projects done and larger projects will need to be contracted out. The additional cost for transportation, utilities, support staff, ect, may not be worth the inconvenience. Not to mention the extra wear that a school ill take by having children in it year round. In the long run, maintaining a school for a full year may prove to be more costly. Staff burnout is another concern with year round education. Teachers will no longer be able to supplement their income during the summer with seasonal jobs. In some plans teachers will be able to either take the breaks with the children or act as a s stitute for the tracks who are in school. If the teachers choose to substitute they will miss out on their breaks, leaving little time for planning and relaxation. Teachers will miss out on programs to further their education, thus stunting their prof Administrators get a worse deal. They are now responsible for four â€Å"mini schools† and school is always in session so getting away is sometimes hard. Some plans offer to hire a second principal justified by the increased population. Another expense i rred by the year round education plan. Year round education may affect the quality of education for some children. Teachers with more education, credentials, and tenure will opt for the preferred track. Children on the less preferred track will get a different quality of education. Good t chers in general may prefer schools who have the traditional school year. The year round education plan also takes a toll on the family time in many ways. In some plans two children from the same family may not be on the same track and therefore do not have the same breaks. Scheduling time for family outings will be harder One child will always have to mind a bedtime. Taking family vacations is impossible unless one child is taken out of school. Non custodial parents will also have a problem spending their time with their children. Now most active non-custodial parents take their children for a large portion of the Summer break. This time spent with the non-custodial parent gives the child a ense of â€Å"living† with that parent. This arrangement will no longer be a reality. Extended time with the non-custodial parent will hardly be possible unless again one child is taken out of school. I believe this will also cause many divorced parents t eturn to court to revise their decrees, another cost to taxpayers and parents. Year round education may also put a financial strain on working parents. Many parents rely on older siblings to watch younger siblings during school breaks. If the school calendars don†t coincide parents will usually have to pay for alternate care. Some experts think that a year round education will be beneficial to children because they will not have the long break where knowledge is lost. They are concerned with the information that is lost. I believe that information will be lost anyway if a ild is not genuinely interested. School is a place to learn how to learn and to learn the foundations of the world around. College is the place where the information type of learning should take place. Retention is always a concern with any break, b studies show that learning loss begins to occur during the first two to three weeks. By having more breaks during the year we may find more learning is lost. The never ending school year can be very stressful for a child. With a multi- track system playmates will have different breaks causing children to envy different schedules and be unhappy with their own. Children will miss out on events or have to de with the anticipation of school the next day. With a three week break children barely get to relax before having to prepare for school starting again. For children who do not particularly enjoy school this can be a extremely stressful because there i not a long enough break to emerge themselves in something that they enjoy. Extra curricular activities will also be effected. Students may have to attend practices and meetings on their off weeks. They will risk missing out on the team activities, pep rallies, and major events. It is impossible to schedule four separate da es, science fairs, and homecoming games. School will never cease so students will not get the break that they deserve. The programs themselves will get a lower turnout. I believe that less popular clubs and organizations will eventually be gone. Someone posed a the question that if year round education was the traditional school calendar, and a â€Å"new calendar† was proposed where children were only educated for nine months each year would the American public even consider it? My answer is, â€Å"ye The idea of year-round schooling goes back to the seventeenth century. It is actually two hundred years older that the traditional school year. The oldest year round school today is only thirty years old. This means that all other schools once opted I think back to my own Summer vacations. The first two weeks were always spent winding down from the long school year. Then we began to venture out and embark on new adventures. I can remember long bike rides and mapping out new spots to explore, ea day getting farther in to some sort of quest. Sleepovers every other day at each other†s house with my next door neighbor. When I was a child we stayed with my father in Chicago for six weeks of the Summer. That was an experience I would never relin ish. Over the Summer my family took vacations. We went canoeing in the boundary waters of Canada and drove cross country on a whim without the anticipation of getting ready for school. School plays the role of teaching children how to learn. Summer break is a chance to apply what they have learned and enrich their lives with personal experience. Switching to a year round education plan will be detrimental to our children†s problem s ving skills, creativity, and happiness. Overall, I believe that there are too many downfalls and not enough benefits to switching to year round education. Turning to year round education as a solution to over crowding in schools would only be a temporary solution. A year round education wo d put too much stress on our children, families, faculty, and community. We should learn from the past and leave the traditional school year in tact. How to cite A Year Round Education and Staff Burnout, Papers