Thursday, October 31, 2019

Social Impact of Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Impact of Technology - Research Paper Example As one of the issues of technology, this study will generally focus on electronic media and its impact to the society. Electronic media is generally media that uses electromechanical energy or electronics for the target audience to access the information. As a technological issue of development in the present world, electronic media has various familiar sources, which are general to the public. Some of the common sources of electronic media include video recordings, multimedia presentations and audio recordings. Electronic media as a technological issue first rose into prominence in late 1870’s and has been changing with the advances in technology. Technological revolution, which occurred in late 1880s, played a big role in revolutionizing mass media and in this context electronic media. Moving to electronic media during the 20th century generally ensured that communication would be ubiquitous and faster. On the other hand, electronic media as a technological form remains part of an evolutionary progression. The introduction of electronic media in the society was welcomed across the globe. This was a major step technologically and, therefore, meant the society was changing in terms of how it looks on things. It also meant there were improvements in terms of the existing technological advances already in place. Electronic media was developed for entertainment purposes. Alternatively, electronic media was developed for social betterment and an easier communication aspect in the society. The emergence of global societies has also played a key for the development of technology. The emergence of these societies necessitated the need to connect people and the creation of global communities. Long before, any form of technology across the globe. During this period, human life was restricted because of technology applications unavailability. Human beings never got to enjoy luxurious life as that of the modern societies (Schmeikal, 45).

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

THE GRAPHIC ART Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

THE GRAPHIC ART - Essay Example Riggle (2012: 255) describes street art as â€Å"artworks whose use of the street is essential to their meanings.† In this, Riggle implies that street art is necessary and applicable only in streets where they display their significance to several passers-by. There are several street arts that are available in various holographs in today’s museums and other photo and pictures sources such as archives. This essay will succinctly verify or back up Riggle’s description of street art using two popular and early drawing artists; England based graffiti artist, Banksy and South African artist, Robin Rhode. The two are renowned street artists whose artworks have been posted on various websites. The essay will mainly handle the role or the necessity of street artworks, as well as their impacts to the immediate society. To begin with, Banksy did several artworks which are mainly considered street art with hidden meanings that are necessary to teach certain lessons to the s ociety. Since he was also a painter, political activist and film director, he came up with attractive street art graffiti and inherent dark humor that was excellently done in distinctive and special inherent stenciling technique. Most of his artistic works have been featured in public areas such as walls, streets and bridges. Historically, his work was born out of artist-musician collaboration popularly referred to as Bristol underground scene. One of his street artworks was a stenciled graffiti that appeared on Thames Water tower. It was located in Holland park roundabout. The image consisted of a child clutching and doing painting work on the tag titled â€Å"Take this society†. Councilor Greg Smith (London and Fulham spokesman) considered the photo vandalistic and made an order for its instant removal from the location. The removal was carried out by the then H&F Council workmen within three consecutive days. The graffiti had a lot of significance to the then European soci ety, in terms of its political situations. Analytically, the artwork was meant to show that Europe was under control by a particular group of its leaders who controlled every life sector in the continent beginning from economy, social lives, as well as the politics. The idea of the boy painting the tag is sarcastic in the making as he advises or informs some people in the society to take control and own the society personally. The child symbolizes the common man in Europe who is unhappy with some of totalitarian practices exhibited by the leaders in the way they govern their subjects. This is typically in line with Banksy’s political activist nature or characteristic. The second street artwork of Banksy is LDN6 which appeared in May 2006. Iit appeared at the back of something that looked like a permanent street stall for selling bags and T-shirts on the Tottenham Court road, next to its junction with the Store Street. The art photo did not stay long at the stall. It was remov ed by the end of June with the permission from the stall owner, Sam Khan, a sixty year old man who had no idea about Banksy and his artwork (Bull, 2011: 311). In fact, the stall owner did not have any idea about the meaning or rather the interpretation of the artwork. The photo was then sold to someone at a reported price of 1000 Euros in cash. The stall owner got annoyed when he saw the same photo being sold at a minimum price of 230,000 Euros and much better prices in New York. From the picture, it can be seen that the painter had written, â€Å"What?† in purple color on a grey wall with other non formulated black drawings and writings. Interpreted, Branky’s main reason for the work is to show what the unclear dark drawings had not clearly revealed

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Solutions To Environmental Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Solutions To Environmental Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay It is believed that globalization has numerous benefits to the economy of China. In recent decades, China has witnessed rapid economic growth due to economic reforms. Its GDP has increased by more than seven percent per annum. However the fact that globalization negatively affects the environment cannot be ignored. Apparently China is witnessing serous environmental problems. Not only do these problems impair the progress in the economic development but also have harmful effects on the peoples health. The government of China can consider formulating clear policies, educate the masses concerning these issues and using technology to tackle these problems. Some of the pollutions that need to be tackled include; water, soil and air pollution. T1. Soil Erosion 1. Background Globalization has had a significant effect on the soil. This is because it causes deforestation which then leads to soil erosion. The end result is desertification. Desertification for instance is caused by different reasons depending on the area. They include population pressure, socioeconomic factors, policy, and international trade as well as land use patterns. Globalization decreases land productivity hence leading to degradation. As people clear forests so as to create space for mans activities like urbanization and agriculture, the land is left bare. There is nothing to hold the soil together. Such land is prone to soil erosion which if it persists could lead to desertification. Erosion degenerates land hence making it less productive. For farming activities lower the soil organic matter. This usually causes poor soil structure hence increasing the vulnerability of the soil to erosion. China is widely known for its extensive mining activities. There activities have rendered the land bare and hence makes it vulnerable to erosion. 2. Solutions: To tackle this problem, the government needs to educate the masses on the dangers of deforestation and the importance of planting trees. The mining activities are supposed to be controlled so as to prevent the problem from escalating. People need to be taught on the best farming processes that will render the soil vulnerable to erosion. Gabions could also be built in areas that are adversely affected by the problem of erosion. T 2. Land pollution Background Land pollution occurs when hazardous wastes are disposed on the land. Such substances could be urban wastes, agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, industrial wastes and radioactive substances. Such chemicals contaminate the land surface as well as the soil and hence may render the land unsuitable for farming (Engelking 2007, p. 52). This occurs when the urban waste matter is discriminately dumped. The mining processes may also contribute to the process. Such chemicals can lead to respiratory problems, skin complications, birth defects, and even cancer (Engelking, 2009). Solutions The problem of land pollution can be tackled by educating the Citizens of China on the hazard posed by littering the environment. The items that are used domestically could be recycled or reused. People should dispose the waste matter in the right manner. Organic waste has to be disposed in non residential areas while the inorganic matter should be recycled. T3. Water pollution Background This involves the contamination of water bodies. This kind of pollution affects organisms and plants in these water bodies. This damages individual species as well as the biological communities. This form of pollution occurs whenever pollutants are discharged into the bodies without undergoing treatment to remove the harmful compounds. Considering the fact that China is an industrialized nation, factories frequently opt to discharge their affluent into these water bodies. About 90% of the cities in China suffer from water this kind of pollution. Some of the organic water pollutants include detergents, chloroforms, and food processing waste, herbicides and insecticides, petroleum volatile organic compounds. Most of the inorganic pollution is caused by sulfur dioxide, ammonia, chemical wastes, fertilizers, heavy metal substances and silt (Hart, 2007). Solutions This problem can be checked by treating those wastes that are deposited to the water bodies. The sewage systems in especially in urban centers should be kept in good condition so as to prevent the organic waste from trickling into the water bodies. Erosion control measures should be employed to minimize the surface run-off. Farmers need not to overuse the agricultural chemicals. T4. Air Pollution Background Air pollution involves the emission of toxic fumes into the air. Everyone in way contributes to air pollution in his/her capacity. Carbon dioxide is among the main pollutants of the air. This gas forms a big percentage of the gases that are emitted in many factories across China. Combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation greatly contribute towards the increased levels of this gas in the atmosphere. It is also emitted during any volcanic activity. It is a major contributor towards global warming. Most automobiles, air jets, and marine vessels also release fume to the atmosphere. Other pollutants include Aerosol sprays, nuclear fumes. Other dangerous gases that pollute the air include carbon monoxide and Sulfur dioxide. Air pollution can cause acid rain, which occurs whenever sulfur dioxide combines with Nitrogen dioxide (Hart 2006, p. 62). Solution This problem can be fixed through reducing the number of automobiles, recycling products, avoiding so much of the fire cracker use; Companies have to treat the gases before they release them into the atmosphere. All these forms of pollutions can be reduced if the government will enact and implement policies that are geared towards reducing the pollution. Companies should embrace social corporate responsibility by embracing environmental friendly policies. Globalization in general should be embraced cautiously because some of its effects could be very harmful to humanity.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Proposal Paper -- Essays Papers

Proposal Paper Like the previous paper I enjoyed writing this one as well. I have been skiing for 14years, so this is something I'm interested in. In the process of writing this paper I heard conflicting views from pro and con helmet sides. My dad was upset by the fact that I wrote about why you shouldn't wear ski helmets, because he wears one when he skis. Personal preference backed up by convincing evidence I found in multiple places helped me prove my position against ski helmets at high speeds. I have been skiing since I was four years old. When I started skiing in 1989 very few people were using helmets. Who know whether or not any lives could have been saved with the use of helmets on the slopes? Since 1989 ski helmets have come a long way from the dorky, bulky head gear that was the ski helmet. They are no longer â€Å"uncool†. Adam Ruck of the Sunday Telegraph in London put it well, regarding ski helmets, â€Å"Swing one from your wrist in a nonchalant fashion as you talk big air and bottomless powder, and you won’t pay for many drinks† (Ruck). In fact ski helmets are becoming a fashion statement, sporting names most of the high end ski equipment manufacturers. Although important, fashion would better off taking a backseat to safety when it comes to skiing. Before ski helmets were ever functional they were purely meant to be functional. Functional meaning wearing one will protect your noggin from impacts and collisions. Helmets are designed with the skier in mind, obviously. They are expected to be manufactured and tested to withstand what Mother Nature has to throw at you plus more. And after paying on average $83 (gotriad.com), is it really worth it to purchase something that claims to protect you. For all... ...on). 8 Feb. 2004. Lexis Nexis Academic. 26 Mar. 2004 Consumer Reports. â€Å"Ski Helmets; Safety on the Slopes† Consumer Reports Magazine. Dec 2003, Vol. 68 Issue 12, p54, 3p, 3 charts, 3c. Lexis Nexis Academic. 26 Mar. 2004 http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=11354490&db=aph Works Consulted Nicholson, Kieran. â€Å"Economy hits effort pushing helmets. Aid sought for program to cut injuries on slopes.† Denver Post. 27 Feb. 2004 Lexis Nexis Academic. 26 Mar. 2004.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Of Mice and Men: Compare ‘The American Dream’ with the real lives of the migrant workers Essay

Of Mice and Men (OMaM) was first published in 1937 and is written by John Steinbeck. It is based on America in the 1930’s. It is a story about the extraordinary friendship between two itinerant workers in the harsh American depression during the 1930’s. The title of the novel is named after a poem written by Burns. The title shows how many living things are often powerless to face greater forces than they are. The title is a constant reminder that failure is often inescapable and dreams are not fulfiled as we build up our hopes so high picturing these and when everything collapses, we have nothing to fall back on. This is shown with George in the novel as, with the death of Lennie, all of his original dreams fall away. The American dream is the notion that: â€Å"everyone is created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness†. The novel focuses on two workers called Lennie and George who are looking for work and find it in a typical American ranch full of fellow itinerant workers. The ‘American Dream’ is present in the story and at the time, it was felt, and promised by president Hoover, that a man or woman from anywhere could achieve anything, however, the weaknesses of the dream itself are highlighted in the novel. Despite this, there was still racial segregation in society and this is also demonstrated in the story with a character called Crooks. He is insulted constantly and is called â€Å"nigger† throughout by the other people on the ranch. During the Wall Street crash in 1929, the great depression swept all through America and Steinbeck highlights this throughout the novel. The lifestyle of the itinerants is an example of this as they just go to the â€Å"cathouse† and spend all of their earnings as soon as they have it. This symbolizes the lack of hope in the American dream from the ranch workers as, they just carelessly spend their money as soon as they receive this instead of saving it for the future. The novel starts with a detailed description of the surroundings. The writing suggests that Soledad is dream-like with very dry but lush conditions. â€Å"the water is lined with trees-willows fresh and green with every spring† Although this sounds very heavenly, the word Soledad means ‘loneliness’ in Spanish however this contrasts with the happiness of family life (â€Å"a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pools†) which would be characteristic of the â€Å"American dream’. When Lennie and George enter, it is obvious that they are both completely different and â€Å"opposite†. The reader has the impression that Lennie is quite animal-like as throughout the novel he is described with animal phases â€Å"the way a bear drags him paws† and with ‘clumsy’ language like â€Å"huge†, â€Å"flung† and â€Å"snorting†. Despite this clear contrast, the pair still share everything together, â€Å"bought out two spoons and passed one to Lennie† – referring to George which highlights the concept of the American dream and the search for happiness. From the beginning, the reader is aware of George and Lennie’s dream and living â€Å"off the fatta the lan'†. For the pair, the dream is still very much alive and is repeated over and over until, towards the end, it becomes very monotonous and it becomes a burden to George. George has his own dreams but the dream with Lennie is the only one which is truly idyllic because it’s impossible. The ranch owners manipulated desperate workers like George and Lennie so, like George and Lennie, quite a lot of ranch workers have dreams like Candy for example â€Å"I’d make a will an’ leave it with you guys†¦.† Unlike the other workers, who have got into a routine of earning their money then spending it straight away with no hope of achieving anything, Lennie and George dream of a better life as they don’t want to keep working on ranches until they die. It keeps George and Lennie going through the tough times and as they tell more people about it, it affects them and gives them hope – Candy and Crooks. At first Crooks rejects the dream and also links it to religion which, like the dream, has no foundation. He has never really experienced true happiness as he has never been shown it so he is unable to truly believe in the dream as it depends on happiness. Although the dream doesn’t last very long with him, Crooks shows some hope as he offers his services on the farm and says thing â€Å"dreamily†. Although, he returns to being defensive when the dream is squashed and becomes â€Å"scornful†. Crooks is oppressed, like his feelings. The powerlessness and loneliness of people like Crooks is shown in Chapter four because of their lack of involvement from socialising with the other workers. To him, there is no dream. He has no hope of ever achieving anything as he is badly discriminated against. Like I said above, all the other workers call him â€Å"nigger† quite casually and repetitively. Crooks lives in a separate compartment in the barn and is alone. For him, there is no hope of the dream as he is always isolated – being alone all the time from everyone and also, as he says in the text, there are no ‘black’ families near. Because of this, when he first meets Lennie he is hostile and torments him because thats how he has always been treated. He starts by calling Lennie â€Å"nuts† and â€Å"crazy as a wedge† but it is only when he begins to create situations with George that Lennie begins to get angry, fearing for George’s safety, that Crooks stops and talks less cynically again. This is also an indication of Lennie’s strength as, even though Crooks doesn’t know him, he stopped tormenting him when he began to get angry. â€Å"†Who hurt George?† he demanded. Crooks saw the danger as it approached him. He edged back on his bunk to get out of the way. â€Å"I was just supposin’,† he said. â€Å"George ain’t hurt. He’s all right. He’ll be back all right.† Lennie stood over him. â€Å"What you supposin’ for? Ain’t nobody goin’ to suppose no hurt to George. Crooks removed his glasses and wiped his eyes with his fingers. â€Å"Jus’t set down,† he said â€Å"George ain’t hurt†.† Also, the way that all his possessions and where he lives is separate from everyone else, as well as showing social segregation, shows that he is nothing like the other men. All the other men on the ranch have to share rooms and are very close to one and other whereas Crooks has his own room with his own things in it. Although this can be seen to be a good thing, it’s another dividing barrier between all of the workers and Crooks. Because it is his own, he looks after it and it shows that he is â€Å"a proud, aloof man† whose eyes seem â€Å"to glitter with intensity†. This signifies that his dreams might be completely different from all the other ranch men because he will not share the same beliefs as the other men. All of his possessions show what type of person he is; practical, active. This is show by â€Å"rubber boots† and â€Å"big alarm clock†. In the novel, it says how he has a â€Å"tattered dictionary† and a â€Å"mauled copy of the Californian Civil Code for 1905†. This shows that he reads quite a lot as the books are â€Å"mauled† and â€Å"tattered† which shows that he has a good mind. Also, the fact that he has lots of tools shows that he’s quite capable with his hands and that he’s very skilled. For example, when it says about him winning the horseshoe game. The dream for Crooks would therefore be well thought of and maybe slightly more realistic. Since Crooks has been a constant victim of prejudice, he is even more likely to realise that the dream will not be fulfilled. Crooks is also proved in the novel to be a survivor but the fact of the matter is that he has no real power on the ranch. Although hope is not truly apparent in the novel, Slim is the closest character who shows that way inclined. In the novel he is suggested to be quite majestic and quite â€Å"Godlike†. An example of this is the way that he is allowed into the boss’ shed without having to ask. As the workers there have no real family that they see very often, if at all. Slim is the closest person they have to a family member. He is seen by the ranch members as kind and comforting and is trusted. The way that he had the ‘final say’ in the decision with Candy’s dog is an indication of this. He also seems to be apparent at all of the key moments in the novel. As well as being there for Candy’s dog, he sorts everything out when Curley has his hand broken and he says that Lennie â€Å"I guess we gotta get ‘im.† His intelligence was also highlighted as he knew about Lennie’s death and was the only one to comfort him. The way that such a nice person is caught in such a harsh climate is there to highlight the dream and perhaps its failure. Unlike all of the other workers, he seems content with his current position in the ranch. It seems like he has taken in his current situation and has realised that fulfilling a dream would be very hard if not impossible. He offers security and kindness in such a harsh depression. Slim symbolises a dream that is different from the American dream; he offers a dream not based on basic desire or greed that so many people show. As it states in the text â€Å"the prince of the ranch†. The word â€Å"prince† automatically symbolises someone who has a lot of authority and is respected, like Slim. Also, Slim is the only person that Curley’s wife addresses by name. This is another indication of respect shown by everyone. Slim is also different from all the other men; not only because he believes in a different dream but also because of the way he is. We’re told, â€Å"his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought.† No other person in the whole ranch perhaps the boss (but only because he is a position of power) has this type of authority and respect shown by all of the other workers on the ranch. There is a lack of hope throughout the whole novel but this is mostly identified by the meager surroundings. For instance, the room they stay in is bland and quite prison-like. â€Å"Inside, the walls were white washed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small square windows and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. Against the walls were eight bunks.† A dream incorporates freedom and rights but this doesn’t represent freedom. Everything is as cheap as it could be and there is no real individualism. The door is described as â€Å"solid† is symbolic of prison and conditions in captivity. Also, in Chapter 2, it highlights the lack of freedom as there are quite a lot of regulations involved in their work. For example â€Å"You got your work slips?† For George and Lennie, their dream is quite real, especially to Lennie, because they constantly repeat it and make it real. They go through it quite often and in great detail. â€Å"Some day- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs an’ live of the fatta the lan'†. Because of the repetitiveness of their dream, it becomes real in their minds. However, if they were realistic and looked at how much they were earning and where they were, they would be able to see that obtaining this dream would be very difficult. When Candy over-hears their plans for the farm he wants to be included in the dream and offers his money and his services to help them achieve the dream. This is probably the most optimistic part of the book and the idea becomes more real as they agree to buy the farm when they have George and Lennie’s wages at the end of the month. All of them believe it’s a good idea and perhaps for the first time, George truly believes it as he can see a way out; its not just for Lennie. In the text Lennie is described as being like a bear â€Å"he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws†. Lennie can also identify with animals as he seems to befriend them before humans. He also loves cuddly animals to â€Å"pet† in his pocket. Therefore, the dream for Lennie will be animal based and quite simple, like his thinking, hence, the rabbits. Slim calls him â€Å"cukoo† and â€Å"crazy† as well as Curley’s wife calling him a â€Å"dum-dum†. Because of this, he wouldn’t last a week by himself without George and is reliant on him. Lennie is very kind and doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Even after his fight with Curley he says that he â€Å"didn’t wanta hurt him†. This shows that although he is the most destructive person in the novel, he doesn’t mean it. Despite this, Lennie is still a killer and can be very violent and dangerous. In the novel, he attacks Curley, Culey’s wife, kills mice and throws his dead pup onto the barn floor in anger. However, he doesn’t do it maliciously but like George said â€Å"he don’t know no rules†. He doesn’t want to kill Curley’s wife, he was trying to get her to be quiet. In his dream, he wants to â€Å"look after† the rabbits and keep them safe which indicates his kindness but he probably wouldn’t be able to behave like that. When Lennie goes into Crooks’ room, the light that he sees could be a glimmer of hope for the future however, when Curley’s wife appears, the hope is extinguished. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and because of this, Lennie is dazzled by her glamour and beauty. She also says that she knows about men (â€Å"mutts†) and she knows all about their need for dreams. Lennie is also quite childlike and is very innocent. He asks quite a few innocent questions and even Slim can tell he â€Å"ain’t mean†. He takes orders from George like a child but he also obeys Slim as well. This shows that he doesn’t want to disobey anyone or do anything wrong. For Lennie the dream is very real and all the way through the novel it stays like that as when he is shot, he is looking into the distance and comes closer than anyone to obtaining the dream because he is truly happy. Owing to overall cycle of events in the novel, the dream never seems likely as life does not move on; it just repeats itself. For example, there is the death of the mouse, then the pup and finally Curley’s wife. This is partly because of Lennie and his obsession with petting and stroking, the death of Candy’s dog because of its age and the pain it was in and at the end of the novel, the death of Lennie also a mercy killing. At the beginning of the novel, we saw a water snake and at the end this is repeated however, at the end, a heron â€Å"swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically†. This shows a cycle with beginning and an end – the death of the snake representing an end. In George and Lennie’s relationship, George is very much in control. If Lennie wasn’t there, he would have few problems and he has no other ties, except for Lennie. It states that he is â€Å"small†, â€Å"quick† and â€Å"dark of face, with restless eyes, and sharp, strong features† and has â€Å"small strong hands† and â€Å"slender arms†. The fact that he is still with Lennie shows he is very loyal to Aunt Clara and has obviously developed a friendship with Lennie unlike any other. However, George also has quite strong mood swings. At the beginning, he was quite unhappy as he and Lennie had jus fled from Weed but once they sat down and he could go to sleep, he could relax and perhaps dream. Like George’s moods, his dreams will change as well. When George says â€Å"I got to thinking that maybe we would would† it shows that by killing Lennie, he extinguished all hopes of ever achieving the dream. Therefore, by killing Lennie, he commits himself to living the life of a single man and perhaps never being truly happy. The dream does this to quite a lot of people and as they begin to take in the circumstances and realise the truth, the dream disappears. In conclusion, it is clear that Steinbeck was very thoughtful in writing the novel and he brings into question the foundations of the American society, including the American dream and how if affected itinerant workers like George and Lennie. In the novel, nature is made to appear idyllic and beautiful. This is represented in the beginning of the book as where Lennie and George are staying there is no bunkhouse, no work, no decisions and no problems. The water is said to be â€Å"twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight†. This sounds wonderful however, George warns Lennie that the water is â€Å"scummy†. Also, the way the water snake is eaten by the heron, shows survival of the fittest. Also, Lennie says he will live in a cave however, he probably couldn’t survive in the wild if he was given the chance. Nature both starts and ends the novel; it starts by the pool with life and dreams and ends, by the pool, but with death and the collapse of dreams. The language in the novel isn’t very complicated however it shows how itinerant workers may sound â€Å"dumb† but they are actually quite clever. For example, Crooks reads a lawyer book but his language includes â€Å"I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to†. Like the novel, there is a background message that isn’t apparent without cross-examintaion.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Starbucks Hrm Paper

An Analysis of Actual Personnel Policies for the Starbucks Coffee Contents Environmental Challenges †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 Mission Statement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Organizational Structure †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 External Environment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Internal Environment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Personnel Needs †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 Job Descriptions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 Recruitment and Selection †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 Employee Training †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 0 Tuition Reimbursement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Total Compensation System †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 Union vs. Nonunion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 Work Life †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Benefits †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 Performance Appraisal †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16 Personnel and HRM Policies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 HR Improvements †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 18 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 19 Appendix †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 25An Analysis of Actual Personnel Policies for the Starbucks Coffee Starbucks is one of the renowned coffee companies in the world today. Starbucks is known for its great customer service, inviting atmospheres, and excellent coffee. It all began in1971 in Seattle Washington when they opened their first store located in Pikes Place Market. Starbucks progressed through the many years and now Starbucks is one of the lead coffee stores in the world. They do not only offer coffee but the stores offer a place to work, study, think and even meet new people, which is widely known as Starbucks experience.Starbucks is more than just coffee. The aim of this paper is to examine and evaluate the most important aspects and policies regarding the human resources management of Starbucks by addressing key issues and influencing factors. Environmental Challenges Mission Statement As part of the strategy, CEO Howard Shultz has taken steps to invigorate the staff and ensure the best customer experience. These measures include retraining the staff and holding conferences called leadership labs to inspire its managers who he considers as the â€Å"ambassadors of brand, merchants of romance, and disciples of delight† (Kessler, 2012).Starbucks has also changed its mission statement. Starbuck’s first mission was drafted in 1990 and reflected its goal of being the number one provider of the best coffee you can find in the world (Stanley, 2002). Their new mission statement, as stated on their website is â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. † Starbucks has announced plans to change its leadership structure in order to accelerate global growth. The company will be divided into 3 regions, The Americas, Europe, and Asia.Each region will be led by a president that reports to the CEO. The company is also expanding into the tea market as part of its goal to become a $1 billion dollar business (Starbucks Newsroom, 2011). Organizational Structure Since its establishment in 1971, Starbucks has seen many changes to its external & internal environment. As a result, Starbucks has made changes to its human resource management policies with regard to its mission, strategy, and organizational structure. Since Starbucks opened 42 years ago, coffee consumption in the US has steadily increased.Th e 2012 National Coffee Association's National Coffee Drinking Trend Survey that coffee consumption has increased in all categories since 2010. The largest increase has been observed in gourmet coffee beverages which increased by 8% since 2010. This upward trend is in line with the center’s other surveys that show a continual increase for coffee, which is the leading non-alcoholic beverage in the U. S. over soft drink consumption and other beverages (National Coffee, 2012). Starbucks is a massive company with numerous departments. All of the operations are managed from the headquarters in Seattle.District managers oversee the regional clusters of Starbucks stores and they report to the headquarters. Regional managers report to district managers. Store managers oversee the store operations and report to regional managers. Within the store organization one can descend to lower levels of position from store manager to assistant store manager to shift supervisor to barista. (Starb ucks Career Advancement, 2013) One can say that Starbucks has a divided and diversified organizational structure. The structure can be examined in two places.First part is the retail stores, where the physical contact is made with the customers. Since this part of the company solely works on satisfying the customer needs, contains high involvement of employees, and has relatively lesser layers of management, the organizational process resembles a flat organizational structure. (Gomez-Meija, 2012, p. 54). When moving to the corporate sector, one could say that this part resembles a bureaucratic organizational structure as employees are more specialized and there is a top-to-down approach among the ladders. Gomez-Meija, 2012, p. 54). External Environment These demographic changes for coffee has prompted new entrants into the consumer coffee market. The quick-service restaurant sector, including McDonalds, Wendy’s, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Jamba Juice have started lines of pre mium coffee. In addition, Starbucks faces new competitors in the grocery aisles since technology has made single serve coffee makers more popular for home use (National Coffee, 2012). In the global environment, the coffee industry is also seeing an expansion.Coffee is already the world’s most popular beverage, and has consistently ranked in the top five most traded commodities since the 1990s (Pendergrast, 2009). Internal Environment The internal environment is based around Starbucks’ mission to create a third place between home and work. As Starbucks has grown and expanded it has attempted to control quality by not franchising. As Starbuck’s environment has changed, the company has made several adjustments to Starbucks’ Human Resource policies. CEO Howard Shultz retook the helm of the company in 2008 with a goal of returning to the core values of producing the best cup of offee (Wertheimer, 2011). Personnel Needs The personnel that comprise the retail de partment are the Baristas and Shift Supervisors. Baristas prepare coffee and serve customers. Shift Supervisors assist the store manager with store operations. The Shift Supervisor is also a team leader responsible for delegating tasks and assisting with staff member training. Starbucks has about 18,000 stores worldwide, with 72% of them in North America (Loeb, 2013). Although the coffee giant has over 200,000 employees, each stores retail staff averages less than 9 members (Naydenov, 2013).The company recently demonstrated its procedure for handling personnel needs relative to demand. Between 2009 and the end of 2012, 39,000 employees were laid off as the global giant closed more than 600 stores. This downsizing was a result of a restructuring effort during the recession which brought economic uncertainty. Now that the company is experiencing recovery, CEO Gary Shultz has announced plans to hire 3,500 baristas by the end of 2013 (Allison, 2013). The expansion is a result of increas ed demand due to Starbucks new product launches which include a new line of coffee and the venture into the tea market.The company’s growth is also aided by continuous high sales in China. Job Description Starbucks as a big entity with over 200000 employees (Simon, 2008) is a massive global company employing people within a wide variety of positions. They have baristas who are the public face of the company, both interacting with the customers and preparing their coffee and lattes. They have shift supervisors who are veteran baristas overseeing the overall Starbucks store experience for customers. Starbucks hires a big number of people, mostly for their retail stores.These retail jobs have a more general description. When looking at the job description at the Starbucks career page, one can see that this position might not be a technical one but is explained in great details. Because this position requires focus on multiple tasks with light focus, one could define it as a gene ral position. In the upper levels of the careers, there are many kinds of management positions from store managers to district managers to regional managers. Job descriptions at Starbucks tend o get more specific towards the upper ladders as the company starts to resemble a bureaucratic organizational structure. For example, Critical positions such as managers are described in much greater detail when compared to retail store positions. A product manager has many tasks and duties but the responsibilities stay focused. The job description for the product manager is comprised of (1) a title, (2) a location, (3) a job summary (4) key responsibilities, (5) qualifications (6) required knowledge, skills ; abilities and (7) core competencies (Starbucks | Careers, 2013).This job description matches and even exceed the content of the ones described in the textbook as the textbook suggests that a job description should include a summary, duties and responsibilities, requirements and qualifica tions. One can say that Starbucks has executed creating of job descriptions very professionally in accordance with today’s standards. Two job descriptions, one for a barista and one for a product manager, are provided in the Appendix section, where one can picture the differences between a general job description and a specific job description.The barista has many duties in a great variety. They should provide customer service, be in constant communication with their supervisors and maintenance the cleanliness of the place. A product manager has greater responsibilities such as marketing, management and product innovation but the duties and tasks are are described with a greater precision when compared to the barista’s job description. One reason for this difference might be the fact that the baristas are focused and that’s a dynamic task subject to change at all times. Recruiting ; SelectionRecruitment is the gathering of capable people who might be a fit to th e position and selection is a process where the decision makers use specific tools and methods to choose the better candidates within that pool. (Bratton ; Gold, 2007, p. 239) Recruiting and selection of employees are important milestones in hiring a candidate for a position. It is usually conducted by a member of HR or a manager. Starbucks obviously utilizes job design and job analysis methods for positions from all levels because their job descriptions at the career web-site are very well structured.Starbucks HR uses both internal and external recruitment. In the case of internal recruitment, there are a few ways to lead this process. Candidates can be selected in the intranet on the website where only the staff and the employees have access. Additionally candidates can be selected through staff meetings or recommendations from other employees (usually the ones in higher positions in the ladder). In the case of external recruitments, Starbucks utilizes conventional recruitment met hods and accepts only online applications: To attract candidates Starbucks uses ads, word of mouth and internet to reach out to people.Even though Starbucks uses methods besides the internet to reach out to potential candidates, they select candidates from the pool that receives applications from the career web-site. First they eliminate the ones who do not have the qualifications. After that they do phone interviews to select the ones who are interested in the position. The ones who the pass phone interviews undergo a face to face interview with district and regional managers. (Starbucks Interview Questions, 2013) Their sources of recruitment process provide all the aspects of traditional and non-traditional methods described in the textbook (Gomez-Meija, 2012, p. 74). Starbucks had some out of the box thinking and has incorporated social media very nicely into its recruiting and selection process. Positions and applications can be reached out through the Twitter and LinkedIn. (Soc ial Recruiting, 2010) This way Starbucks increases the chances of interactive conversations and encourages more potential candidates to apply for positions to increase the size of the recruitment pool. Employee Training Starbucks has a unique and successful approach to the training the company offer to employees, new and tenured.The training regimen of a Starbucks Employee consists of a multitude of strategies including but not limited to Customer service training, Cross-functional training, team training, and On-the-job training (OJT) (Reese, 1996). Training/lessons are creatively named so as to keep with Corporate Cultures i. e. â€Å"Brewing the perfect cup†, â€Å"coffee knowledge†. These different methods of training are systematically set in place and usually take about 24 hours, of which the majority is to be completed within the first two weeks of employment.Once an employee has â€Å"cleared† all different levels of training, the employee should be well rounded, educated, and skilled to service customers/clientele (Reese, 1996). Tuition Reimbursement Starbucks offers tuition reimbursement based on the employees eligibility, position, and length of continuous service from the beginning of each calendar year. Taking into consideration that 85% of Starbucks â€Å"Partners† have education beyond high school and the average age is approx. 26, the benefit of tuition reimbursement is as lucrative as the wages themselves.The idea of getting a degree and having your â€Å"employer† pay for it fits as a strategic benefit/lure for the principle demographics of Starbucks employees. (Life at Starbucks, 2006) The eligible expenses consist of tuition fees, books, class requires supplies and required fees. Another eligibility criterion is that the education the employee wishes to get must aid the employee in his/her career path in Starbucks. Many degrees are supported in the program such as Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Mas ters, Doctoral, and Certificate degrees. Employees can apply through internet, fax or e-mail. There is also a limit to this tuition reimbursement amount.In the Appendix, a tuition reimbursement application sample form is attached. Total Compensation Starbucks hires around 200 people per day and has one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry. Starbucks aims to imbed its values in the company culture. Starbucks use these values to give employees a sense of meaning to their work even if it is just pouring a cup of coffee. The firm belief has been that if you take care of your employees, employees will take care of customers and be engaged in their work. They offer a comprehensive benefits package including healthcare coverage, stock options and discounted stock purchase programs.Their benefits package is branded â€Å"Your Special Blend† and is available to employees in its full capacity after only ninety days of employment. To go a step further, Starbucks implemented a pl an called Partner Connection to help the workforce with health and fitness and to link employees with shared interests and hobbies. This program is funded by sales of logo merchandise to partners. They also have a program called the CUP Fund that helps employees with financial assistance during times of crisis or hardship and a Total Pay package that offers discretionary bonuses.Finally, Starbucks offers its employees a program called Mission Review which allows the employees to communicate thoughts and feelings to management and receive answers to their questions. The formal rewards are certainly not very attractive. Most of the so-called partners are paid less than what primary school private tutors get per hour. Starbucks is a challenge for its employees, learning something new, and a good way of earning some extra money. The partners make work fun, and employees like to mess around with coffee. One could say that informal rewards would play a larger part than in these intrinsica lly driven motivations.Employees are free to take any drink from Starbuck sand they do it very openly. When a former employee turned up to visit everybody,  they were given a warm welcome, and not to mention helped to a free drink. It does seem that working in Starbucks made the employees and former employees feel good as they were able to drink free coffee which other consumers pay. Starbucks, as a popular culture icon, also made it cool and hip to work in. A certain amount of social status is conferred thus, and this is another hidden reward. It makes sense why these people were so intensely motivated in their work behavior.A 20% discount would be available for any employee when he visits another branch, even when he or she is off duty. All that the employee has to do is to key in his or her Identification Card Number. The interesting thing is that this attractive discount also applies if the employee orders on behalf of accompanying friends. The privileges of working for Starbu cks Coffee extend beyond normal working times. Only the employees are able to understand the benefits and such small benefits add up to actually becoming quite substantial. Union vs. NonunionThe employee-employer relationship is complicated at Starbucks. Starbucks was unionized in the 80s and provided health-care even to the baristas besides a share of the profit. In 1992 Starbucks became union-free with the worker’s own will because The CEO Howard Schultz claimed that he really cared about the workers, calling them â€Å"partners† and he would listen to their problems. (Fellner, 2008, p. 144) There are contradictory comments about the issue. Even though baristas still receive health benefits as much as higher-level management employees, they are not happy about the payrolls.For example, the baristas in New York City complain that the wage they get is not enough to make a living. (Maher-Adamy, 2006)There have been disputes between managers and baristas in public (Inter national Labor, 2008). There are also neutral commentators who believe that the truth lies in between as some think that Starbucks is treating their employees still better than many other restaurants (Fellner, 2008, p. 70). Starbucks is already unionized since 2006, founded by a previously fired employee, Daniel Gross (Simon, 2008). Facts point out that Starbucks should stay unionized.Even though when research indicates that Starbucks treats its employees with more dignity than many other restaurants by calling them partners (Fellner, 2008, p. 142), it does not necessarily prove that they are treating their employees fairly. The management claims that they have been treating the employees fairly and providing them with benefits, good wages, and stock options but the company has been accused of union bashing and a National Labor Relations Board Judge ruled that Starbucks violated federal labor law by trying to stop union activities at four Manhattan locations in New York. James, 2009 ). Wagner Act states that management should not interfere with, restrain or coerce employees from exercising their their rights to form unions. (Gomez-Meija, 2011, p. 506) The Taft-Hartley Act, and the Landrum-Griffin Act were amended in order to balance the power distribution but one can say that Starbucks unions are not overpowered at all. Work Life The quality of work life for Starbucks employees actually is really good for them. Starbucks has a great outlook on employee relationships, and they offer such benefits that it does keep the employees happy.The benefits offered help relieve normal every day stresses so you can focus more on working at your best. Starbucks creates a happy environment with the help of having happy employees. The Quality of work life is related to high job satisfaction it is known to have less â€Å"absenteeism and turnover† (Gomez-Mejia, 2012, p. 20). Employees feel satisfied in a job when a few different needs are met. There is the environment in which they work the other employees around them, and the benefits that come from the company that all help employees to want to feel as they are a part of the company and are appreciated. BenefitsStarbucks offers the usual benefits most company’s give out and then some. They have competitive pay, Insurances for Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and disabilities. Starbucks also offers the employees Bonuses, paid time off, and a retirement savings, which is very valuable because everyone is worried about getting older and to have a retirement plan, helps you look to the future with less worries. The list continues with equity in the form of Starbucks stock and discounted stock purchase plan, and employees like to be a part of the company they are working for especially if they do feel happy with the company.Another -not so much heard- benefit is the Adoption assistance which is an amazing gift for the families who are helping the homeless children in the world. Domestic partner benefits are also a large helper because then it helps secure families more. Emergency financial aid can take a stress off your back, and a referral and support resources for child and eldercare is another help with the stress reliever. On top of all the benefits, you even get a free pound of coffee each week (Huang, 2011). One method they use to have productivity enhancing techniques is they offer â€Å"Perks for Partners†.An example is that while on work breaks any tea, or coffees are free of charge. Being an employee and having free beverages on the break is a nice incentive, and would help enhance productivity because happy employees produce good work productivity (Starbucks. com, 2013). Performance Appraisal Policies The performance management system at the Starbucks revolves around each employee; it puts the individual as the focus where every person who is in direct interaction with him will evaluate him. All his peers, subordinates, supervisors and ev en externally interacting parties such as the customers, and suppliers belong in this group of people.This is related to the 360 degree concept where employees provide their own evaluation along with their evaluation by those surrounding them. At Starbucks each employee’s evaluation influences the employee’s future on whether he should be rewarded, promoted or even fired. But at the same time there is a controversy attached with the 360 degree evaluation system as it has a great tendency to be biased towards an individual, the evaluation can be easily manipulated with a simple understanding between the employees.But Starbucks believes in the goodness of the human beings it is believed that the employees will be honest and evaluate themselves and others with utmost integrity. The number of orders fulfilled by the employee in a given amount of time, the number of orders that had errors and were given back, employee’s behavior around customer and others, the feedba ck from customers this management system is an all-round technique. Personnel ; Human Resource Policies Overall Starbucks human resources have focused on overall wanting to be the most known brand there is in the coffee industry.They have Cultural Diversity by respecting the surrounding local cultures, and they utilize globalization principles at the same time. Starbucks has expanded so much since they first opened in 1971, in Seattle Washington’s Pike Place Market. Choosing this location for their first store was a tiny piece of the success, Pikes Place is already known to be famous because of Starbucks’ reputation. Starbucks used the help of another brand name to get their name out there. Since Starbucks is expanding its growth at all times, it is very important to keep in mind the diversity in order to globalize (Allison, 2012).Starbucks would have no success in growing if they did not properly accept the ways of local culture. Customers only keep coming back if you make them feel comfortable and that needs considering and taking all cultures into account at all times. Starbucks has a very important recruitment process when hiring new candidates and this is one of the most effective policies that the human resources put into action. The Development process helps them hire good employees so it is very important probably the most important to the company, and creates good customer service.They have great targeted training, certification programs and performance evaluations. The management team gets evaluated by the district managers annually. The baristas have regular evaluations every 6 months after they are hired and they have three outcomes to label these employees; needs improvement, meets expectations, exceeds expectations (Huang, 2011. ) Customers First Motto is very important, this helps keep customer loyalty and keeps the door open for new customers from good word of mouth. This is one of the most effective policies there is because with no customers there is no growth, no revenue and could demolish the brand name.Starbucks has a competitive advantage and offers the partners many things to keep them enthusiastic towards the Starbucks Company. One of the least effective policies would be the Starbucks rewards program for the customers; where you can get a free coffee for your birthday  (Huang, 2011). Even though the benefits from these rewards are small and only exciting for some customers, others just want to feel comfortable where they go or fast pace with good customer service. Starbucks tries to position itself higher than other companies with all the perks and benefits and how the whole company is run.Starbucks creates a good image of the company, and this image will only help them grow and continue to be a great company in the industry. HR Improvements If Starbucks could improve anywhere in their human resource policies, it would have to be in the training area and the performance evaluations they perform. T hese evaluations can help ensure the employees are staying positive and being an a part of the company. Too many evaluations would be a waste of money, but they should perform the Barista evaluations at every 3 months until an employee has been with them for one year.This would help Starbucks make sure they hire the proper employees and can weed through the ones who are not proper for the job. Also with Starbucks becoming so worldwide and opening stores in places such as United Kingdom and Russia they need to make sure people are properly trained in the cultures around them as to where the Starbucks is located. All the different states and countries Starbucks has offered special products to please the surrounding customers in their own geographic areas. In United Kingdom they added an extra shot of espresso to their 12 ounce drink (Allison, 2012).Human resource policies should be the same throughout the company no matter what continent they are on but they do need to make sure prope r training happens in each culture so that the company can keep expanding. Conclusion Starbucks overall has a great company that still to this day is growing and will continue to grow worldwide. The company has their human resources policies planned and organized in a very helpful and successful way. Starbucks understands the important aspects that make a company whole, and the needs of what to accomplish in order to have a growing successful Company.Starbucks strategy has proven year after year they are on the right track that a company should be on to generate revenues and a pleasant environment for the employees, employers and consumers. There are some issues with the employees in terms of wages, benefits and unions and Starbucks should keep the promises that has been given personally by the CEO, because it has been observed many times that happier employees means a better service and this results in happier customers. References Allison, M. (2013). Starbucks cranks up its own jo bs plan. The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://seattletimes. om/html/businesstechnology/2016665838_starbucks02. html Allison, Mellissa. (2012, August 13). Starbucks has Eye on Worldwide Growth. Seattle Times, C. 3 page1. Retrieved from  http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. fau. edu/docview /1033248131/13C590CCC0E3E2F274D/1? accountid=10902 Barbash, J. U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management. (n. d. ). Unions and rights in the space age  . Retrieved from website: http://www. dol. gov/oasam/programs/history/chapter6. htm Bratton, J. , ; Gold, J. (2007). Human resource managment: Theory and practice. (Fourth ed. ).New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Company Information. Starbucks web-site. Retrieved from  http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/company-information Effective Brands. (2008). Starbucks: Abuzz about local growth. Retrieved from http://www. effectivebrands. com/downloads/bulletin_starbucks . pdf Fellner, K. (2008). Wrestling With Starbucks. New Brunswick: Rutgers Press University. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. fau. edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/nlebk_243103_AN? [email  protected];vid=1;format=EB Gomez-Mejia, L. R. , Balkin, D. B. ; Cardy, R. L. (2012). Managing human resources. (7th ed. ). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Global actions target starbucks union-busters (2007). Industrial Worker. Retrieved from http://ezproxy. fau. edu/login? url=http://search. proquest. com/docview/195446184? accountid=10902 Huang, Connie. (2011, November 21). Starbucks: A Premium Blend of Human Resource Policies. Prezi. com. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://prezi. com/c8gqvfpfno6k/starbucks-a-premium-blend-of-human-resource-policies/ Not a creditable source James, A. (2009), Starbucks spars over union. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. starbucksunion. rg/news/starbucks-spars-over-union-seattle-pi? language=fr Kessler, S. (2012). Inside St arbucks's $35 Million Mission To Make Brand Evangelists Of Its Front-Line Workers. Fast Company. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. fastcompany. com/ 3002023/inside-starbuckss-35-million-mission-make-brand-evangelists-its-front-line-workers Larson, R. (2009). Marketing Strategy and Alliances Analysis of Starbucks Corporation. Liberty University. Retrieved April 14 2013 from: http://digitalcommons. liberty. edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi? article =1005&context=busi_fac_pubs Life at Starbukcs (2103). Tuition Reimbursement.Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://lifeat. sbux. com/NR/rdonlyres/FB31ADAF-D465-468C-A81A-18C0AC290517/0/TuitionReimbursementPoliciesandProceduresPlanDescriptionAug12006. pdf Loeb, W. (2013). Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. forbes. com/sites/walterloeb/2013/01/31/starbucks-global-coffee-giant-has-new-growth-plans/ Maher-Adamy (2006) Do Hot Coffee And â€Å"Wobblies† Go Together? Th e Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 14 from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB114290666494303693-email. html Morrison, M. (2011). Starbucks Forges ‘Moments of Connection' By OfferingExperience. Retrieved April 14 2013 from  http://adage. com/article/special-report-marketer-alist/marketer-a-list-starbucks/230837/ National Coffee Association. (n. d. ). National Coffee Drinking Trends 2012. Retrieved April 14 2013 from: http://www. ncausa. org/i4a/pages/Index. cfm? pageID=731 Naydenov, D. (2013). Will the Economy and Employee Costs Put Pressure on Starbucks? The Motley Fool. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://beta. fool. com/didiooodotcom/2013/03/04/evaluating-potential-economic-and-employee-cost-pr/25586/ Obloja,  Elena. (2011, December 15). Starbucks HR policies and practices. scribd. com. Retrieved from  http://www. cribd. com/doc/75800799/Starbucks-HR-Policies-and-Practices. Not a creditable source Pendergrast, M. (2009). Coffee second only to oil? Is coffee really the second largest commodity? Mark Pendergrast investigates and finds some startling results. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. thefreelibrary. com/Coffee+second+only+to+oil%3F+Is+coffee+really +the+second+largest†¦ -a0198849799 Reese Jennifer. (1996, Decemeber 9). Starbucks, inside the coffee cult. Cnn. Money. com. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1996/12/09/219373/ Seaford, Bryan C. , Robert C. Culp, and Bradley W.Brooks. (2012) Starbucks: maintaining a clear position. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies; 2012, Vol. 18 Issue 3, p39 Simon, B. (2008). Consuming lattes and labor, or working at Starbucks. International Labor and Working Class History, 74(1), 193-211. Social Recruiting the Starbucks Way. (2010, March 23). Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://blog. sironaconsulting. com/sironasays/2010/03/social-recruiting-the-starbucks-way-. html Stanley, A. (2002). Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Cof fee Company. Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Retrieved from http://mba. tuck. dartmouth. edu/pdf/2002-1-0023. df Starbucks Career Advancement (2013). Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. starbucks. com/career-center/starbucks-career-advancement â€Å"Starbucks Corporation. † International Directory of Company Histories. Ed. Jay P. Pederson. Vol. 77. Detroit: St. James Press, 2006. Business Insights: Essentials. Retrieved from URL Here Starbucks Interview Questions (2008). Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. glassdoor. com/Interview/Starbucks-Interview-Questions-E2202. htm Starbucks Newsroom. (2011). Starbucks Announces New Leadership Structure to Accelerate Global Growth. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://news. starbucks. com/article_display. fm? article_ id=547 Static Brain. com. (2012, September 9). Starbucks Company Statistics. Retrieved April 14 2013from http://www. statisticbrain. com/starbucks-company-statistics/ Wertheimer, L. (2011). Starbucks CEO: Ca n You ‘Get Big And Stay Small'? NPR. Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. npr. org/templates/transcript/transcript. php? storyId=134738487 Why are starbucks workers joining a union? (n. d. ). Retrieved April 14 2013 from http://www. starbucksunion . org/about-starbucks-union/why-are-starbucks-workers-joining-union Appendix I. Job Description of a barista Barista (US) Location:  Boca Raton, FL (5250 Towne Center Circle)Location Details Starbucks 5250 Towne Center Circle Boca Raton,  FL  Ã‚  33486 P: 561-347-9710  »Ã‚  See all jobs at this location Job Description As a Starbucks Barista, you will create the Starbucks Experience for our customers by providing legendary customer service with prompt service, quality beverages and products, and maintaining a clean and comfortable store environment. You will be responsible for modeling and acting in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles and best of all, you’ll be part of a company that is consistently rated as a great place to work and the people here love what they do.Summary of Key Responsibilities Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: * Acts with integrity, honesty and knowledge that promote the culture, values and mission of Starbucks. * Maintains a calm demeanor during periods of high volume or unusual events to keep store operating to standard and to set a positive example for the shift team. * Anticipates customer and store needs by constantly evaluating environment and customers for cues. * Communicates information to manager so that the team can respond as necessary to create the Third Place environment during each shift. Assists with new partner training by positively reinforcing successful performance and giving respectful and encouraging coaching as needed. * Contributes to positive team environment by recognizing alarms or changes in partner morale and performance and communicating them to the store manager. * Delivers l egendary customer service to all customers by acting with a customer comes first attitude and connecting with the customer. Discovers and responds to customer needs. * Follows Starbucks operational policies and procedures, including those for cash handling and safety and security, to ensure the safety of all partners during each shift.Maintains a clean and organized workspace so that partners can locate resources and product as needed. * Maintains regular and consistent attendance and punctuality. * Provides quality beverages, whole bean, and food products consistently for all customers by adhering to all recipe and presentation standards. Follows health, safety and sanitation guidelines for all products. * Recognizes and reinforces individual and team accomplishments by using existing organizational methods. Summary of Experience * No previous experience requiredRequired Knowledge, Skills & Abilities * Ability to learn quickly * Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and request clarification when needed * Strong interpersonal skills * Ability to work as part of a team * Ability to build relationships Physical Requirements * Constant standing/walking * Occasional stooping, kneeling or crawling * Occasional pushing, pulling, lifting or carrying up to 40 lbs * Occasional ascending or descending ladders, stairs, ramps * Constant computer/POS Register and bar equipment usage Frequent, continual, intermittent flexing or rotation of the wrist(s) and spine * Constant reaching, turning, and performing precision work around bar area * Constant receiving detailed information through oral communication * Constant talking, expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word * Occasional Distinguishing, with a degree of accuracy, differences or similarities in intensity or quality of flavors and/or odors   * Constant clarity of vision at near and/or far distances Link to the page: https://wfa. ronostm. com/index. jsp? LOCATION_ID=289517 9514&locale=en_US&applicationName=StarbucksNonReqExt&SEQ=postingLocationDetails&POSTING_ID=667441924 II. Job Description of a Product Manager Description Job Summary & Mission This job contributes to Starbucks success by supporting the transformation of Starbucks food, a critical strategic initiative for our company and an area of tremendous change and opportunity. Role is a unique combination of category work + strategic support of high impact special projects.Description:  drives the successful rollout of our new La Boulange platform across the United States by ensuring the engagement of store Partners. Works with cross functional teams to create new engagement plans and protocols, design special events and otherwise ensure the sustained success of our food program within stores. Proactively identifies and resolves potential challenges, facilitates cross-functional communication, and manages the product performance against operating plans and budgets to achieve Starbucks financi al and business objectives. Models and acts in accordance with Starbucks guiding principles.Summary of Key Responsibilities Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Business Management: – Manages the product line business against operating plans and budgets. Tracks, analyzes and communicates product and program performance vs. expectations. Provides meaningful insight and recommends action plans to address variances in performance against annual plan. – Manages cross functional team to deliver integrated launch programs for products, including product direction, marketing plans and store operations and supply chain requirements.Communicates product direction to internal and external partners. – Develops and manages product line business plans. Creates and presents the business case for new programs to support growth strategies and profitability targets. Makes recommendations regarding product objectives and strat egy, positioning, pricing, packaging, and product lifecycle. May provide information and direction for planning, forecasting and managing inventories. – Supports qualitative and quantitative research to develop key findings and recommended actions (e. . develops proforma models and runs sensitivities). – Merges trends and other primary and secondary forms of research with fact based business insights to arrive at sound strategic recommendations. Uses data to tell a logical story. – Manages project teams and timelines to deliver products and programs. May work with cross-functional partners to ensure the best available costs, terms and quality. – Provides input into the strategic plan for product(s) they manage. Marketing & Promotions: Develops and manages multi-channel, integrated marketing plans for promotions, brand initiatives, or product. Creates and presents the business case for new programs to support growth strategies and profitability targets. Cr eates and/or provides input to recommendations regarding marketing plan objectives, strategy, messaging, marketing mix, and tactics. – Develops, manages, and tracks marketing budgets, timelines, and processes from kickoff to execution. Establishes and maintains processes to ensure effective and timely development and execution of programs within defined

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The contribution of Ollier and Pain to Geological phenomena essays

The contribution of Ollier and Pain to Geological phenomena essays Ollier and Pain (1994) have published an appealing and confrontational essay on the evolution of the landscapes of southeastern Australia. Their ideas provide an attractive insight into the broader interpretations of landscape evolution scarcely mentioned by other authors prior to their publication. The controversial linked topics of highland uplift and river evolution have not been demonstrated on the broader picture as their studies have been confined to small areas (Young 1978; Bishop 1988; Gale 1992). These studies illustrate a continuity of drainage in southeastern Australia during much of the Cainozoic era whereas Ollier and Pain bring these smaller areas together to show that the landscape history extends back well beyond the Miocene. They also demonstrate how drainage disruption is widespread (though often old) and how they believe that drainage reorganisation was associated with the origin of the Great Divide. By providing evidential support to their theories, they have publ ished an informative and well-structured essay. Ollier and Pains work on evolution of landscapes of southeastern Australia has produced a major contribution to the understanding of geomorphic phenomena. Its not only due to their new views utilising a broader approach to the issue, but mainly due to the opening of areas of discussion to the understanding geomorphic phenomena. Their hypothesis has created controversy and conflict amongst geomorphologists specialising in this area. They will be looked at in further detail where the true contribution to understanding geomorphic phenomena will be realised. Ollier and Pain provide an interesting outline to their interpretation of landscape evolution in southeastern Australia. They believe that in the Jurassic, Australia was attached to parts of Gondwana, the Tasman Divide was located two to three hundred kilometres east and parallel to the present coast and rivers carried sediment to the Eromanga-Su...

Monday, October 21, 2019

La Belle Dame sans Merci and The Eve of St Agnes Essay Example

La Belle Dame sans Merci and The Eve of St Agnes Essay Example La Belle Dame sans Merci and The Eve of St Agnes Paper La Belle Dame sans Merci and The Eve of St Agnes Paper Essay Topic: Fanny Hill Literature The poet John Keats, inspired by the sentimental nature of his unrequited love for Fanny and the depression he felt due to the death of his mother and his brother, wrote both ballads using the key theme of time, to engage the listener. The use of tenses links succinctly in with Keats use of time. The change of tenses throughout La Belle Dame, whereby the first three verses are set in the present tense, no birds sing, verses four to eleven are set in the past, I met a lady and verse twelve is again set in the present, no birds sing. The effect of this as well as the first and last verse including, Alone and palely loitering, is to create a circular chronological structure. This represents a question asked and answered within the poem and a feeling of entrapment within a cycle of death and love (key themes featuring in Keats poetry, and contextually in his life). Moreover, the lack of future tense suggests to the listener that there is to be no future and hence no hope adding to the melancholy mood produced by Keats. Conversely, Keats uses a linear chronology in the past tense throughout The Eve of St Agnes, How changed, in order to construct an ordered narrative. This separates the feel of both poems, distinguishing one (Eve of St Agnes) as more story-like than the symbolic other (La Belle Dame). This also infers to the listener that Keats use of time was a deliberate endeavour within his poetry and not simply the standard arrangement of poetic literature of the time. The use of seasons and the weather conditions in La Belle Dame create the ambiance and atmosphere of the poem. As the squirrels granary is full dictating that the harvests done and that the agricultural labouring and gathering of the summer growth is complete, this implies the beginning of autumn, leading on to winter, cold hills side, and the cold, desolation of the surroundings that is associated with it. This use of pathetic fallacy warns the listener for what is to come later in the poem, adding to the sense of intrigue and mystery. However, whilst he is with her, summer is inferred via the use of sensual floral references, garland for her head (touch), fragrant zone (smell), suggesting the warmth and intimacy of his feelings for her. This atmospheric separation between the seasons intensifies the loneliness and suffering of the knight after his meeting with her, alone and palely loitering. The Eve of St Agnes also uses a wintry setting, bitter chill, trembling [ frozen grass, frosted breath, yet this is used to conjure the symbolism of God and Madelines familys disapproval of their courtship. This creates the impression of a higher power perhaps scrutinising Porphyro and Madelines doings; Porphyros inner thoughts, fears and paranoia. Similarly, Keats use of the Moon represents the urgency of Porphyros passion, particularly as the moon is commonly associated with its lunar calendar, in which he has to capture Madeline before his opportunity is lost, Ive mickle time to grieve, an expression of his determination. Both poems create a medieval scene, La Belle Dame; knight-at-arms, pale warriors, faerys child, pacing steed, Eve of St Agnes; lofty plume (reference to a knights helmet), witchs sieve, liege-lord, Elves and Fays, wolves and bears, Merlin, Dame, maiden, queens and kings, mermaid, Beadsman, via a plague of fairy tale characters, having the effect of setting up both poems for an atmosphere of a differing time period to that in which Keats wrote the poems. This creates a historical parallel between the world Keats imagined within the medieval Romeo and Juliet-esque time period and his own affairs and thoughts of Fanny. In addition to this, the use of archaic language such as, La Belle Dame; steed, woebegone and Eve of St Agnes; thy, thee, Quoth, help create the practicality and realism within these imaginary characters and historical scenarios. Unlike the more untouched setting of La Belle Dame, the sedge has withered from the lake, Castle imagery is extensively used in The Eve of St Agnes; arched way, dusky gallery, chamber, balustrade, citadel, carved angels, level chambers, portraying the scene within the listeners minds eye. In addition, The Eve of St Agnes is written in Spenserian stanzas, adding to the medieval feel of the poem (Spenser invented the term Spenserian stanza to be used within his epic, medieval poem, The Faerie Queen). The use of an irregular rhyme scheme in The Eve of St Agnes- Iambic pentameter except for last line which is iambic hexameter suggests an ongoing narrative throughout as well as displaying the infrequency of the pagan Eve of St Agnes feast (whereby virgins may see their future husbands). Also, syndetic listing is included within the caesura, and sleep, and dream creating a rhythm comparable to that of a heart beat, in order to show how Porphyros fear creates a slow motion of time and an increased physical and sexual awareness, as he prepares to witness Madeline. La Belle Dame involves a similar rhyme scheme iambic tetrameter except for the last line of each stanza that are of varying length this variation of length represents the abrupt change in the relationship/ knights life, as the listener, lulled into a security within the regularity, is subconsciously disturbed by a change in rhyme in verse nine. Overall, the use of time in both poems aids the in-depth view into Keats life and emotional workings. Ultimately, it is his use of archaisms that create the setting, yet it is his use of tenses, seasons, rhythm and rhyme scheme that imply the subtleties of The Eve of St Agnes and La Belle Dame sans Merci.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

A Research Study of Teenage Pregnancy Through the Years

Pregnancy often occurs in young women between the ages of 13 and 19. In 1939, a case where a 5-year-old child, Lina Medina, was recorded as being the mother as the youngest child in history was recorded. The data gathered to support the above topics includes qualitative and quantitative information. A qualitative way is to understand phenomena, answer questions, and explore problems. These data are from neighboring countries and developing countries, including information from schools and hospitals. For decades, the idea of ​​teens pregnancy has influenced the policy. The study cited by Zachry (2005) found that teenage pregnancy records are called epidemic or uncontrollable by the media when the birthrate of the population was actually the lowest in decades . Zachary is a study conducted by Luker in 1996 and reveals that the relationship between teenage pregnancy, poverty education and poverty is a strong belief in the United States. Formulation of policy Factors that c ause teen pregnancy around Capricorn in Limpopo Province Teen pregnancy refers to pregnancy of women under 19 years of age. It is common among young people who are disadvantaged and young people with low expectations for education and employment markets. Since young people may be afraid to look for such information, they may lack knowledge to master traditional preventive methods. The aim of the research was to determine the factors that led to teenage pregnancy in the village of Capri province in Limpopo province. Teen pregnancies are defined as unwanted pregnancies during puberty. According to an American obstetrician and gynecologist, about 750,000 people are pregnant between the ages of 15 and 19, but many teenagers do not think they will get pregnant if they do sexual activity. During adolescence, adolescents often feel pressured to interact with friends and make friends with their colleagues. Often, these teenagers have allowed them to influence their decision to love their fr iends, even if they do not fully understand the behavior-related effects. Adolescent sexuality is a way to show calm and maturity, but in some cases, the final result is unexpected teenage pregnancy. The Caesar Family Foundation reports that more than 29% of pregnant adolescents feel pressured to have sex, and 33% of teenagers say that sex is not ready . To refuse

Friday, October 18, 2019

PLOT and visual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PLOT and visual - Essay Example Tron legacy is a science fiction movie which shows tremendous use of computer visual effects. The movie was shot in 3D and ten companies were involved in the enormous visual effects work. Chroma keying is a film technology for compositing two images or video streams together based on color hues (color range), this technology has been incorporated in this movie hence bringing out an exciting and thrilling 3D effect in the movie. Artificial intelligence is also a technology used in the film. This is a technology where machines are perceived to be autonomous and tend to have human like intelligence. Visual effects is a term used in describing imagery created, altered or enhanced for a film or other motion pictures production That can’t be done during actual shooting of a film. Visual effects can also be incorporated in to live action capture through techniques like mate painting, miniature or forced perspective sets, computer graphic objects, characters and surroundings, compositing of disparate images recorded in any number of ways. These are some visual effects that have been used in the Tron legacy film, and have contributed very much in modern film production and technology (Zwerman, 2010). Computer technology was vastly significant in the production of this film whereby some scenes in the movie were very graphic and could only be achieved through computer graphic techniques (Mitchell, 2004). Love and hamburgers is a short film about two neighbors that leave short messages for each other on each other door steps. Before the first scene a note written question is left on the front door step of the lady. Here the exposition is an apartment scene where neighbors live next door to each other. The rising action occurs where the two neighbors start leaving sweet notes on each other’s door steps trying to court each other by asking interesting questions afterwards the man asks the lady out for a date only to come back home the

Marketing plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Marketing plan - Assignment Example The objective of increasing sales at Bergs Ski and Snowboard shop will be measured by the rate at which sales will have grown by review moment with increased sale annual sales at the minimum rate specified in the objectives showing success of the marketing plan. The other control measure for ensuring success of marketing is the enrolment rate at which ski and snowboarding classes attended by customers are increasing and the success rate of those attending the classes. If the class enrolment rates are high, the marketing plan will have been a success within a year. The contingency plans available for the advertising through social media include printing brochures and posts and placing them at strategic location in the Eugene area containing the details of the business as well as contacts and social media pages (Fifield, 253). This plan will ensure those who had not been reached online will have received information on Bergs Ski and Snowboard shop. If the classes do not stimulate sales and an increased interaction between the business and the community, the contingency measure will be organizing Snowboarding and skiing events in the area with the winners given prices in terms of cash and products from Bergs. Search engine optimization is the other contingency measure when the marketing plans do not meet the desired marketing

Financial reporting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial reporting - Assignment Example Financial statements, prepared on the basis of historical cost accounting method, do not provide a fair and true presentation of equity’s performance or future prospects, if capital is inadequately maintained (Charnes, 1976). Moreover, critical assessment of equity’s performance by studying ratios, such as, return on capital employed, will be useless if capital is undervalued, profit is overstated and values of assets are misinterpreted. These sometimes occur because of historical cost accounting. The limitations have been summarized as follows: Overestimating and valuing profits by undercharging depreciation on the basis of historical cost and recording sales cost at original cost of inventories, may result in the reduction of an entity’s capital because of high taxation charges and distribution (Belfo and Trigo, 2013). This accounting approach toughens the task for analysts and shareholders of evaluating and assessing the ability and performance of management. This is precisely because variations in the situation of the current market are not considered in historical valuation approach. Then, owner of the entity tried to restock his inventory and realized that the cost of replacement was $2,200. They did not have enough cash to restructure to the pre-sale condition. The difficulty escalated due to the fact that the owner was unable to differentiate between the profits generated from holding the inventory for a particular time period before selling it and the revenue that was generated through trading. Had the company matched the cost of replenishment against revenue, they would have realized a profit of $300. If this excess proceed had been withdrawn, it would have left the company with $2,200, which could be used for the purpose of inventory replacement. Thus, this example suggests the fact that historical accounting can be misleading to the user of the information (Bakar and Said, 2007). The application of general price index under this method is

Thursday, October 17, 2019

A two year old child in extended family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A two year old child in extended family - Essay Example Observations of my case study family led me to understand that the meaning of family is an idea that is enacted through a core, stable group of people that is extended through a fluctuating series of others who come in and out of the home. Henry (1996, p. 32) writes that parents can meet the needs of children through mechanisms of secure attachment, but interactions with others through additional secure attachments can actually enhance childhood attachments with parents. Part of the socialization of a child is to create interactions with a variety of people and to help them engage the world (Edgar 1995, p. 5). As much as the intention of observing is to be on the outside of the family, I found that in my experience the intentions of a toddler will override the intentions of the observer and include them in the family process. The study of the family is the study of origins. Studying different families means studying their diverse cultures to see how differences have an influence, if any, on how children develop (Shimoni and Baxter 2008, p. 47). The family that I visited was Muslim and the structure of the family was nuclear with a mother, father, and extended family consisting of the paternal grandmother and grandfather with whom the parents and the child lived. The mother was focused on the activities of the child with the father being unable to be as focused on the development of the child as he was preoccupied with work for most of the time I observed. (Edgar 1995, p. 5).  ... The study of the family is the study of origins. Studying different families means studying their diverse cultures to see how differences have an influence, if any, on how children develop (Shimoni and Baxter 2008, p. 47). The family that I visited was Muslim and the structure of the family was nuclear with a mother, father, and extended family consisting of the paternal grandmother and grandfather with whom the parents and the child lived. The mother was focused on the activities of the child with the father being unable to be as focused on the development of the child as he was preoccupied with work for most of the time I observed. The motherhood ideology has mothers at the centre of reproduction and early childhood interaction (Reiger 1995, p. 48). The grandparents were very involved in the experiences of the child with an almost equal participation. Shimoni and Baxter (2008, p. 48) discuss a study by Wearing who determined that the ideology of motherhood still held that there is a â€Å"legitimate men’s social power and maintain women’s primary responsibility for child-rearing†. The study also determined that women feel that a ‘good’ mother was always available for her children and being a woman and being a good mother were an intermeshed identity. In studying my case study family I found that this framework of motherhood held true. Observing and Interacting One of the problems with observing is maintaining a barrier between the observer and the observed. During the course of my observations I became close with the family as the mother confided in me some of her concerns and the child interacted with me during the course of the observations. Beckett (1988, p. 140) discusses the nature of the

American Companies & Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Companies & Globalization - Essay Example The economy of the country has experienced slow growth in the recent past in spite of being the largest single market of the world. The success of the operating organizations depends on the situation that is prevailing within the country and abroad. The multinationals are much more interested in drawing their strategies keeping into account the global perspective. The activity of foreign affiliations is indeed a complement for the key parent activities in the country in terms of employment, compensations towards workers and capital investment. In order to operate globally it is required or the organizations to expand as well as integrate the foreign activities as such activities cannot be substituted. The expansion by the U.S. parents along with the affiliates contributes to increase the productivity and also contributes to improve the standard of living of all Americans. The rising concerns for the U.S. multinationals are mainly focused on the competitiveness. The success of the mul tinationals is very important as these companies have been productive for a long time and form the pillars of economic strength. The companies are engaged in serving the fast growing markets abroad. The following figure reports the share of the private sector economic activities of U.S. that is accounted for by U.S. parents. It can be depicted from the figure above that parent companies of United States perform large shares of the productivity of America which tends to enhance the activities paving the path for high average compensation for the workers of the country. Accessing the foreign consumers is one of the drivers for the global engagements of the U.S. multinationals. The new customers can contribute in strengthening the revenues of the companies as well as the profitability of the company will witness the upward rising curve. The Statistics show a variation in the rate of GDP over the periods. One can held the evolving size of the national markets and the perspective of the consumers as the reason. When a U.S. multinational operates globally, the company can take hold of foreign currencies which they can divert into the economy of the residing country. Therefore, the economy boosts up with foreign inflow and thereby the company contributes in improving the economic structure of the country as a whole. The multinationals involved in producing goods and services are also engaged in exploration of resources and extraction. Following the policy of diversifying the products and global engagements, the U.S. multinationals are reducing the risk of crisis since a slowdown in one of the countries can be nullified by prosperity in the other. Therefore, indirectly, the economy of the country is as well enjoying a shield against the turbulences. The multinationals also contribute in increasing the exports of the country. The Balance of Payments of the country improves being the resultant. The integrated operations that the multinationals follow across borders stim ulate the exports potential of the country. Let us take the example of IBM. Even today when U.S. remains as the largest single market the company earns more than two-thirds of the total profits from abroad. A great deal of sales accrues from the exports of U.S. or the products which are produced or designed in the country. The company annually brings the economy billions of dollars from its global operations. In the last two years, the company repatriated more than 20 billion dollars