History and Comparison of Windows, Linux, and Apple Essay

An operating system is a set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all the activities among computer hardware resources. Most operating systems perform similar functions that include starting and shutting down a computer, providing a user interface, managing programs, managing memory, coordinating tasks, configuring devices, establishing an Internet connection, monitoring performance, providing file management and other utilities, and automatically updating itself and certain utility programs (Shelly p. 398). There are three major operating systems that exist today that are going to be compared to decide which operating system could be best for different user purposes. The three operating systems are Windows, Linux, and Apple. Windows operating system is developed and maintained by Microsoft in Seattle, WA. The Microsoft Company was developed by Bill Gates. The first version of the Windows operating system was released in 1985, and has been the leading operating system used by 90% of users (Satyam). It is used by the Server 2008 R2 (Satyam). Windows is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows its users to manage files and run software programs easily on desktop and laptop computers (Satyam). On the desktop, icons are used to represent programs that are easy to find and can be clicked to easily access and run the program of choice. Windows is also very popular because of its user interface programs such as Microsoft Office, which include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point, and Microsoft Office Outlook. Windows also has a great reputation for its high and efficient security. Some popular Windows editions are Win 98, Win 2000, Win Me, Windows NT, Windows CE, Win 2003, Win XP, Win Vista and Windows 7 ( Satyam). Windows 8 is now the new successor of Windows 7 and is now available. Linux (Linus’ Unix) is a leading server operating system, and is used for running the top 10 fastest supercomputers in the world (Satyam). Linus Torwalds created Linux, and is the current owner of the Linux Trademark (Satyam). LIndows, Lycoris, Red Hat, SuSe, Mandrake, Knopping, Slackware are the various companies that distribute the Linux operating system (Satyam). NASlite is a version of the Linux operating system that runs off of a single floppy disk and converts an old computer into a file server (Satyam). Some popular versions of Linux include Debian, Fedora, and Red Hat. This operating system is ranked just below Windows operating system, but is quickly becoming popular and is predicted to give future Windows some tough competition. Since 1984, Mac OS 9 had been Apple’s primary operating system, but has been recently succeeded by Mac OS X. Mac OS X is a sequence of Unix-based operating systems and GUI’s developed, marketed and sold by Apple (Satyam). Mac OS X is user friendly, and is popular for its plug-and-play support, which means the operating system automatically configures new devices as they are installed (Shelly p. 408). As stated in the beginning of this paper, Windows, Linux, and Apple are the three most popular operating systems with Windows as the most popular of the three with 85% to 90% of personal computers using this operating system (Satyam). Compared to Windows, Mac is used by fewer people, but is more reliable and less likely to fail than Windows OS because of Mac regularly monitoring and the software and hardware add-ons. Linux is the least popular of the three and is based on UNIX, which has been used for more than three decades that now powers about 90% of Web sites (Satyam). Compared to both Mac and Windows, Linux is an open source project, meaning anyone can modify the Linux Code (Satyam). Linux offers great security and flexibility compared to Windows and Mac, but it takes a great deal of knowledge to install and operate the Linux operating system. Linux is also very much less expensive or even free compared to Windows operating system. When using a server, Linux is much cheaper compared to Windows because Microsoft only allows only a single copy to be used on one computer. However, once Linux is purchased, it can be used on any number of computers at no additional charge (Satyam). Windows can make it difficult for users to store user information and settings and switch to a new computer, but Linux stores the user’s data in the home directory, making it easier to transfer from an old to a new computer (Satyam). In conclusion, Linux is much more secure, reliable, flexible, and more cost efficient than Windows or Mac, but much more difficult to install, understand and operate, it is ideal for industry sectors. Windows and Mac operating systems are much easier for personal use and require less knowledge than Linux operating system. Windows and Mac, however, are more expensive, but are more widely used than Linux, with Windows leading the three in popularity. References Shelly, G. B., & Vermaat, M. E. (2011). Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a Digital World, Complete (pp. 398-408). Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning. Satyam. (2011, June 29). Windows, Linux or Mac OS A Comparison. In HackDigital. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from Google.

Research Paper “Eragon”

A CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE PROTAGONIST IN CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI’S ERAGON A Research Paper Presented to the High School Department Holy Angel University by Zwitsel P. SuarezCristle Yumul Alyssa Joy S. SomeraLorenz A. Zamora Pamela Joy P. Sotto Mark Louie S. Venzon Aira Joy Teopaco Ian Jasper Villena to Mrs, Anna Ruby S. Perez 1 March 2011 â€Å"Eragon† Controlling Purpose: To show the traits of the protagonist in Christopher Paolini’s â€Å"Eragon† through character analysis. 1. Introduction 1. 1. Background of the author 1. 2. Summary of the novel 1. 3. Definition of terms 1. 3. 1. Protagonist 1. 3. 2 Character analysis . 3. 3. Trait 1. 3. 4. Dragon Rider 1. 3. 5. Urgal 1. 3. 6. Varden 1. 3. 7. Ra’zac 1. 3. 8. Alagaesia 1. 3. 9. The Spine 2. Body 2. 1. Background of Eragon 2. 2. Traits of Eragon 2. 2. 1. Brave 2. 2. 2. Vigilant 2. 2. 3. Kind 2. 2. 4. Responsible 2. 2. 5. Determined 2. 2. 6. Persevere 3. Conclusion References Chapter 1 Introduction Erag on is chosen to be the focus of the study because he is the main character of the story. And the researchers will brainstorm and share some ideas how to present the character of Eragon creatively. The story talks about dragons and dragon riders who live in a magical kingdom. People live peacefully there until one day, a young dragon rider betrays his race. His name is Galbatorix. He kills all dragons and riders because he wants to be the most powerful in the kingdom. Becoming successful, he rules the kingdom of Alagaesia. But there is this Elven lady, who is a princess, taking care of the last dragon egg, which is their last and only hope. She sends it to the Spine and there, a young farm boy sees it in the middle of the forest. This young poor boy named Eragon thinks it was a precious blue stone. He tries to sell it but no one gets it. Until one ay, he sees the egg cracking. He is amazed because he sees a cute little dragon coming after him. Without knowing, Eragon’s fate with the dragon is now starting. They are destined to beat Galbatorix’s reign and be the last dragon and rider. The adventures of Eragon will show his different traits, which are being highlighted in this study. Background of the author Christopher Paolini (born November 17, 1983 in Southern California) is an American novelist. He is best known as the author of the Inheritance Cycle, which consists of the books Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and a currently untitled fourth book. He lives in Paradise Valley, Montana, where he wrote his first book. Christopher Paolini was raised in the Paradise Valley, Montana area. His family members include his parents, Kenneth Paolini and Talita Hodgkinson, and his sister, Angela Paolini. Home schooled for the duration of his education, Paolini graduated from high school at the age of 15 through a set of accredited correspondence courses from American School of Correspondence in Lansing, Illinois. Following graduation, he started his work on what would become the novel Eragon, the first of a series set in the mythical land of Alagaesia. In 2002, Eragon was published by Paolini International LLC, Paolini's parents' company. To promote the book, Paolini toured over 135 schools and libraries, discussing reading and writing, all the while dressed in â€Å"a medieval costume of red shirt, billowy black pants, lace-up boots, and a jaunty black cap. † Paolini created the cover art for the first edition of Eragon, which featured Saphira's eye. He also drew the maps on the inside covers of his books. In summer 2002, the stepson of author Carl Hiaasen found Eragon in a bookstore and loved it, and Hiaasen brought it to the attention of his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf. Knopf subsequently made an offer to publish Eragon and the rest of the Inheritance cycle. The second edition of Eragon was published by Knopf in August 2003. At the age of nineteen, Paolini became a New York Times bestselling author. Eragon has since been adapted into a film of the same name. Eldest, the sequel to Eragon, was released August 23, 2005. The third book in the cycle, Brisingr, was released on September 20, 2008. Although the Inheritance Cycle was planned as a trilogy, the details for Brisingr had to be expanded to include a fourth book, that has yet to be titled(http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Christopher_Paolini). Christopher Paolinis’s abiding love of fantasy and science fiction inspired him to begin writing his debut novel, Eragon when he graduated from high school at fifteen after being home schooled all his life. He became a New York Times best selling author at nineteen. Christopher Paolini lives in Montana, where the dramatic landscape feeds his vision s of Alagaesia(www. Alagaesia. com). Summary of the novel The 15 year old resident of Carvahall, Eragon, starts the book by finding a strange blue stone while traversing The Spine, a mountainous area outside his home. The world in which this novel takes place is known as Alagaesia, under the control of Galbatorix, a fallen Dragon Rider, now evil. These dragon riders used to be the peace keepers of the world, but when his dragon died, Galbatorix went mad and killed his fellow riders. Eragon’s blue stone hatches eventually and from it emerges a dragon. Because of the rarity of the birth (dragons are supposed to be extinct), Eragon keeps his find secret and raises his dragon away from prying eyes, until two dark Ra’zac enter the town looking for the stone. The dragon, named Saphira, leaves the town with Eragon to hide in the forest. While Eragon is away, the Ra’zac kill Eragon’s Uncle Garrow and burn his house down. In response, Eragon declares himself a new Dragon Rider in the vain of those past, the peace keepers, before Galbatorix betrayed them. Eragon takes with him on his journeys Brom, a weaver of stories from his town with knowledge on everything Eragon needs to protect himself and defeat the Ra’zac. The three finally reach the town of Teirm where Brom learns that the Ra’zac are in Helgrind, the four-peaked mountain near the city of Dras-Leona. The three travel there and are lured into a trap set by the Ra’zac, failing to find the revenge that Eragon so desparately seeks. Rescued by Murtagh, an unknown stranger, Eragon and Saphira survive, but his mentor Bram is hurt and soon dies. He reveals before his death though that he was once a Dragon Rider, betrayed by Gaslbatorix like the others, his dragon murdered. After Galbatorix’s coup, Brom became a member of Varden, and sniped the unhatched egg that Eragon eventually found, Saphira’s blue stone. Along with Murtagh, Eragon and Saphira set out to find Varden to help them. Along their journey, Eragon begins to have odd dreams of a mysterious female elf in trouble. When Eragon is captured, he finally meets her, both of them imprisoned together. Murtagh and Saphira strike the prison though and manage to resuce both Eragon and the elf. During the rescue, the three encounter Shade, a horrible creature that should not be awake. The revalation of such a horrible creature loose upon the world causes the three to assume that Galbatorix is in league with darker forces yet. On the way to the Varden, Eragon must deal with an immense influx of foes and dangers, including an army of Urgals chasing them all the way there. The Vardens’ fortress, located in the depths of the Beor Mountains, is host to groups of dwarves, elves, and Varden, who are in league, having sent Saphira’s egg to The Spine where Eragon found it. Given a short rest, the three along with the Varden and their allies must prepare for the arrival of the Urgal as the approach the mountain. They learn for sure that Galbatorix is in league with the dark forces from a stolen messenge and soon they are in a battle with the Urgal. During the battle, the Urgals are close to defeating the Varden until Eragon defeats the Shade they encountered earlier. However, the battle with the Shade leaves him horribly disfigured and in pain. When the battle ends, closing the first chapter in the Inheritance trilogy, Eragon is preparing to go study with the elves(http://www. wikisummaries. org/Eragon). Definition of terms Protagonist- A protagonist (from the Greek protagonistes, â€Å"one who plays the first part, chief actor†) is the main character (the central or primary personal figure) of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy(http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Protagonist). Character Analysis- a systematic investigation of the personality of an individual with special attention to psychologic defenses and motivations, usually undertaken to improve behavior(http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/character+analysis). Trait- A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character(http://www. thef reedictionary. com/trait). Dragon Rider- A Dragon Rider is a person, Elf or Human, bonded by thought with a Dragon. A Dragon Rider is identified by the â€Å"shining palm,† the Gedwey Ignasia. In the Ancient Language â€Å"dragon rider† is Shur'tugal(http://www. shurtugal. com/wiki/index. hp5/Dragon_Rider). Urgal- Urgals were a race of sentient creatures that inhabited Alagaesia. Forced by Durza into the service of Galbatorix, they were considered evil by most humans, but were not inherently so. Though most were uneducated, they made up with brute force, exceptional fighting and commanding skills. They were used as expendable â€Å"shock troops† of Galbatorix's army. The Urgal language was a simple, guttural language. Only a few phrases were known to outsiders, and most of them were related to war and fighting. Also, they were one of the races capable of using magic(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Urgal). Varden- The Varden were members of an alliance that opposed the rule of King Galbatorix and his Empire. They consisted mainly of men and dwarves, though there was a conjunction between the Varden and the elves, as well. The Varden also enlisted the aid of a group of magicians known as the Du Vrangr Gata (translated â€Å"The Wandering Path†). The Surdans are also known to aid the Varden in transporting supplies and shelter those who wish not to fight(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Varden). Ra’zac- The Ra'zac (or Lethrblaka when full-grown) were one of the several ancient races that followed the humans across the sea to Alagaesia. They were a race that fed on humans and likely came from the same homelands. Ra'zacs' breath have the power to paralyze humans in a dream-like state, however, it barely clouds the minds of dwarves and is ineffective against elves altogether(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Ra’zac). Alagaesia- Alagaesia is a large continent with variegated climate and terrain, home to a wide number of creatures such as humans, elves, dwarves, Urgals and dragons. Several of the races inhabiting Alagaesia, including humans, elves, and Urgals, were not native to the land, having migrated to Alagaesia in centuries past(http://inheritance. ikia. com/wiki/Alaga%C3%ABsia). The Spine- The Spine was a mountain range that ran down the west coast of Alagaesia. It had only one major pass, along the Toark River, which isolated the coast. Most people in the Empire feared the Spine and the danger it represented, especially since Galbatorix lost nearly half his army in it during his campaign against the Dra gon Riders. After this incident, hardly anyone dared to venture near to this dangerous mountain range(http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/The_Spine). Chapter 2 This part of the discussion highlights the different traits of Eragon. Background of Eragon Eragon is the main protagonist of the Inheritance Cycle, written by Christopher Paolini. Eragon is a male, the first in a new generation of Dragon Riders. He was trained by Brom an old story teller from his village and Oromis, and was chosen by Saphira, a blue dragon, to be her Rider. Traits of Eragon Brave Bravery is the condition or quality of being brave; courage(http://www. thefreedictionary. com/bravery). As a Spanish matador once said, â€Å"Bravery is believing in yourself, and that thing nobody can teach you. † (El Cordobes, 1936), being brave is having trust in yourself. It is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Eragon is a brave person. The deer he was hunting had led him deep into the Spine, a range of untamed mountains that extended up and down the land of Alagaesia. Strange tales and men often came from those mountains, usually boding ill. Despite that, Eragon did not fear the Spine—he was the only hunter near Carvahall who dared track game deep into its craggy recesses. Eragon’s bravery is also proven when he battled with his enemies like Shade, Urgals, and Ra’zac which aren’t easy to kill. Vigilant Vigilance the ability to maintain attention and alertness over prolonged periods of time(http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Vigilance). Being vigilant is being alert. One of Eragon’s trait is being vigilant. It is proven in the first chapter of the novel. When Eragon saw a polished blue stone and decided to pick it. But before he picked the stone, he watched for danger for several long minutes, but the only thing that moves was the mist. Cautiously, he released the tension from his bow and moved forward. Moonlight cast him in pale shadow as he stopped before the stone. He nudged it with an arrow, then jumped back. Nothing happened, so he warily picked it up. This only proves that Eragon is vigilant in his actions. He makes sure that nothing dangerous will happen to him if he picks up to blue stone he saw in the Spine. Kind Being kind is a way of living that keeps giving long after the kind thoughts, words, and actions have taken place. Kindness is a force without force, and it goes well beyond manners to the very heart of how people respect and treat one another. Kindness is the act or the state of being kind —ie. arked by goodness and charitable behavior, mild disposition, pleasantness, tenderness and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions(http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Kindness). Eragon is kind. It is proven in the 5th chapter of the story, when he spent a long time with the dragon. He untied it, set it on his shoulder, and went to explore the woods. The snow-laden trees watche d over them like solemn pillars of a great cathedral. In that isolation, Eragon showed the dragon what he knew about the forest, not caring if it understood his meaning. It was the simple act of sharing that mattered. Eragon kept the dragon, he fed her, took care of her, and treated her like in a nice way even if he doesn’t know anything about the dragon. Responsible Responsibility is a duty or an obligation to satisfactorily perform or complete a task (assigned by someone, or created by one's own promise or circumstances) that one must fulfill, and which has a consequent penalty for failure(http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/responsibility. html). Responsible—it is one of the words that best describes Eragon. As he accepted his fate onto being a dragon rider, he also accepted its responsibilities, to care for Saphira, to rescue Arya, to help the Varden, and to fight the Empire. All of these responsibilities as the dragon rider were fulfilled through his trait of being responsible. Determined â€Å"A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop. †(Robert Hughes, 1978). Determinedness is devoting full strength and concentrated attention to(http://www. thefreedictionary. com/determinedness). Being determined is being strongly motivated to succeed. It is having a strong desire for success or achievement Eragon is determined to fulfill his mission as the dragon rider that will save Alagaesia from the evilness of King Galbatorix. And because of his determinedness, he works hard to learn about sparring, his enemies, the ancient language, and how to use his magic properly through his teacher, Brom in order for him to be successful in his mission of killing his enemies. Persevere â€Å"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.. †(Dale Carnegie, 1981). Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. , especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement(http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/perseverance). Perseverance falls under the larger category of courage because it often involves continuing along a path in the midst of and after having faced opposition and perhaps failure. Perseverance involves the ability to seek a goal in spite of obstacles. Eragon is a persevere dragon rider. Being persevere, he continues his journey to fulfill his mission even if there are many obstacles along his way. In the first part of the story, Eragon was attacked by the opponents which caused him to get a lot of wounds. There was also a time when Urgals under the command of the Shade, Durza captured Eragon and imprisoned him. In spite of facing these challenges/obstacles, Eragon still continues to stand and doing his best for his duties to be fulfilled. Chapter 3 Conclusion Through character analysis, the researchers have shown the traits of the main protagonist in Christopher Paolini’s â€Å"Eragon†. The traits of Eragon are proven through the use of different references. He is brave for having the courage to confront fear or danger. He is vigilant for maintaining attention and alertness over prolonged periods of time. He is kind for sharing the goodness in his heart and having concern to others. His sense of responsibility is shown through the tasks that were given to him because he fulfilled those tasks. He is determined for devoting his full strength and attention to his mission and for desiring success to it. And lastly, he possesses perseverance because he continues to go on to fulfill his tasks even if there are many obstacles along the way. Eragon is the protagonist or hero in the story. The researchers therefore conclude that he possesses good traits as the main character. References Paolini, C. (2002). Eragon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf publishing house. â€Å"Christopher Paolini† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Christopher_Paolini. â€Å"About the Author† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From www. Alagaesia. com. â€Å"Eragon Summary† Retrieved February 10, 2011, From http://www. wikisummaries. org/Eragon. â€Å"Protagonist† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Protagonist. â€Å"Character Analysis† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://medical-dictionary. hefreedictionary. com/character+analysis. â€Å"Trait† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://www. thefreedictionary. com/trait. â€Å"Dragon Rider† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://www. shurtugal. com/wiki/index. php5/Dragon_Rider. â€Å"Urgal† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inh eritance. wikia. com/wiki/Urgal. â€Å"Varden† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Varden. â€Å"Ra’zac† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Ra’zac. â€Å"Alagaesia† Retrieved February 15, 2011, From http://inheritance. wikia. com/wiki/Alaga%C3%ABsia.

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. 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SCC Caf Proposal - Essay Example The chapter begins with the invention of a proposal in which it discusses the factors to consider before creating a proposal. This it explains requires the identification of a need and possible solutions. By analyzing the solutions, it becomes possible for one to develop a realistic proposal that addresses the problem. Organizing and drafting a proposal is yet another vital chapter in the book that explains the structures of proposals and tools available to students to enable them to develop effective proposals. The authors maintain that the use of language is a major factor that affects the effectiveness and usability of proposals among other types of writings. The authors advise the use of simple sentence structure in order to enhance the communication. Use of jargons is advisable only when writing professional proposals since each profession has a set of jargons. Â  The chapter is indeed vital since it addresses the essential type of writing to both students and professionals. However, students are earners and therefore require a reliable point of reference. The chapter offers an effective reference since the authors of the book use simple language and a point-by-point explanation of the process of writing a proposal a feature that makes the book easy to use. Additionally, the authors use the various example just in order to enhance the learners’ comprehension of the facts and ideas they present in the book. The various illustrations in the chapter coupled with the descriptive language the authors use in the chapter are among the factors that enhance the usability of the chapter thus the book. Â  In retrospect, the chapter offers an effective and elaborate explanation of the topical issue. The authors try their best to develop an effective learning material targeting young learners.

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial Essay

An Evaluation of WKMNs A Newbies Guide to Wireless Networks Tutorial - Essay Example As the study declares the concepts include the radio frequency technology, mobile telephony, wireless area network (LAN), wireless personal area network, fixed wireless wide area networks (WAN), practical applications of these technologies is various business set-ups and other references that can be useful to the student who wants to learn more. Each of these topics contains subtopics that are detailed to the technology. Although the terminologies can give a complex impression especially to hearing of it for the first time, the tutorial is designed to ensure a simplified translation of such concepts that can be comprehended in the understanding level of its students. How the student grasp the concepts and ideas are critical to the objectives of creating this newbie tutorial as it will determine the productivity that they can make out of this wireless technology knowledge that a student will gain after going through the tutorial. The tutorial can be taken in five minutes a day and the student can choose any chapter of interest without specific order, as long as all chapters are covered in order to finish the course. The tutorial also provides excursion websites that can be visited should the student find a specific area from it course chapter really useful for his needs.

We 8 CRJ 520II Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

We 8 CRJ 520II - Research Paper Example The move towards evaluation of program outcomes has moved from the intent of activities to the actual occurrence of the intended change. The most important stage in program implementation is to determine whether the achievements are taking place in the adopted activities. This is to determine whether there were other factors that contributed towards the occurrence of the change (Hatry, Newcomer & Wholey, 2013). This methodology of assessing whether there were other extra factors contributing to a program’s change is known as SROI (Social Return on Investment). SROI is an evaluation framework that assesses the outcomes of a practice or a program. In order to achieve the intended goals, there are four factors that need to be evaluated. These factors include deadweight, attribution, displacement, and drop off. Deadweight-this is the changes that people expected to take place anyway. Deadweight accounts for any part of change that would happen due to either internal motivations or environmental factors. For instance, the objectives of a certain community program may be to increase job opportunities for the residents. However, a portion of those employed may also get may also get employed due to changes of the labor market. The portion of those counted to could have found a job due to factors other than the activities of the program should not be included when evaluating the program (Royse, Thyer & Padgett, 2010). Displacement- this factor focuses on whether the achieved change resulted in some sort of displacement or unintended costs. For instance, a crime prevention program may be implemented to reduce criminal activities in a certain neighborhood and not displacing such criminal activities in the neighborhood community (Hatry, Newcomer & Wholey, 2013). The value of reducing criminal activities in the intended region would be

Gone with the Wind Essay Example for Free

Gone with the Wind Essay Gone with the Wind is a film based on Margaret Mitchell’s book with the same title. Tagged as one of the most memorable love stories in American history, Gone with the Wind is not only a story of love between Scarlett O’ Hara and Rhett Butler but is also a story of a woman’s struggle to keep her family alive through years of war. Set against the American Civil War, the film is mainly influenced by the events of that time. We get a glimpse of the social structures of the 1800’s and of the roles expected of women at that time. B. MEDIA The film, despite its historical background, is more of a dramatic manifestation rather than a documentary of the events during the American Civil War. Done in Technicolor, the film features theatrical music with a touch of country to go well with the Atlanta and Jonesboro settings. The music was mostly passively used in the background, segued to indicate change of scenes. However, there were some scenes when music was an integral part, enhancing the emotions and actions depicted in the film. Being a really old film, Gone with the Wind does not have the special effects that movies nowadays have. It is, however, effective in recreating the Civil War and making the viewers feel what it would have been like to be in that situation. Explosions and gunfire were used to reestablish the film’s setting. Shots were very conventional, using wide shots to establish a scene and close-ups to enhance emotional integrity. Gone with the Wind, featuring mostly Southern characters, includes a plethora of characters speaking with a Southern drawl. The language was mostly contemporary, with a few slang usages here and there. Hats off to the well-known actors such as Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivien Leigh (Scarlett OHara), Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes), and Olivia de Havilland (Melanie Hamilton) for pulling off the characters originally designed by Margaret Mitchell. They were excellent actors and they gave life to characters recreated in this screenplay by Sidney Howard, though the story was flavorful enough that it can be portrayed by anyone with good acting skills. Featuring well-known actors, though, helped promote the film and possibly helped in raking in big money for the producer David O. Selznick. C. CONTENT The film offered abundant source of memorable scenes. In one of the earlier scenes, we see Mammy helping Scarlett get ready for the Wilkes’s barbeque party. Instead of a grumpy, complaining slave, Mammy seem to be in high spirits and just happy helping out the O’ Hara sisters. Though this highlights the sad social structure existent at the time of the movie, Mammy’s strong hold on Scarlett and her â€Å"don’t give me nonsense† approach to Scarlett’s usually hard-to-resist charms show how – despite the racial structure of the times – African-Americans play an integral role in the American household. However, in another scene, African-Americans were depicted in a negative way. When Melanie Hamilton was about to give birth, Prissy lets it slip that she is knowledgeable in midwifery. At a crucial point of the childbirth though, Prissy panics and admits, â€Å"Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies. † This is eye-catching in the sense that is ‘glorifies’ one of the stereotypes associated to African-Americans. The way Scarlett O’ Hara acts is also often a point of contention in the movie. Though shown as a strong woman who was able to carry her family through bad times, Scarlett was also shown to be clingy and desperate in most scenes. This was most apparent during the Wilkes’s party, when she choreographed the whole afternoon to catch Ashley’s attention. In all the scenes mentioned, the main issue revolved around racial, social, and cultural boundaries. The scenes depicted how far along societal rules were during the setting of the movie. Though often criticized for being too leaning on stereotypical portrayals, Gone with the Wind still is very much a picture of the truth of that existed back then. D. BIAS Victor Fleming, the credited director of Gone with the Wind, was mostly an action film director and had his first hand at romantic drama with the film in discussion. One cannot say, though, that whatever biases the film had been his â€Å"fault†. Gone with the Wind is mostly producer-driven and Fleming may only have marginal influence on the film’s outcome. And since the film was highly-based on the novel, the â€Å"biases† can be attributed to what Margaret Mitchell wrote. (Myrick 126) E. EFFECTIVENESS / HISTORICAL CONTEXT Though very different from films that most of us are used to nowadays, Gone with the Wind was very effective in evoking the emotions it aimed for. The combination of the restructuring of the Civil War and the powerful acting accounts for the film’s effectiveness. The combination of both – plus its basis on a historical fact – also points to why the film was very profitable. Every American knows of the horrors that the Civil War brought us and the film’s effective depiction of this point in history made everyone love the film more. All in all, the film – with its combination of a moving plot, powerful cast, and good filming – was worth a watch. Though mostly dramatic than historical, anyone who wants to relive the Civil War can give this movie a shot. WORKS CITED Myrick, Susan. White Columns in Hollywood: Reports from the GWTW Sets. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1982.

The Nhs Quality Standards Health And Social Care Essay

The Nhs Quality Standards Health And Social Care Essay The Quality Standards for Health and Social Care set out the standards that people can expect from Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS). In developing these standards, this report aims to discuss the quality of services and to improve the health and social wellbeing of the people of UK. (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, March 2006). At the heart of these standards are key service user and carer values including dignity, respect, independence, rights, choice and safety. The recent NHS Next Stage Review (England, 2008) outlined a number of initiatives designed to improve the measurement and monitoring of quality within the NHS. In the other UK countries, despite a reduced focus on market mechanisms to incentivise quality, data which helps others understand the patient experience and the quality of care delivered by the multidisciplinary team still remains an important theme. (RCN position statement, Publication no: 003 535, 2010). The measurement and communication of health and social care quality therefore requires assessment of key and consensual variables that reflect the breadth and complexity of health care. Engaging with multiple stakeholders to identify core elements of health and social care quality is essential to this process (See Figure 1) (Soane DM and Silber JH 2003). Figure-1 Health Care Environment Setting System Regulation. What is Quality? The quality of technical care consists in the application of medical science and technology in a way that maximizes its benefits to health without correspondingly increasing its risks. The degree of quality is, therefore, the extent to which the care provided is expected to achieve the most favourable balance of risks and benefits (Avedis Donabedian, M.D., 1980). As matter of fact, one cannot assure of guarantee quality only increase the probability that care good, or better because quality cant be guaranteed, many my-self included have criticized the term assurance. (A.Donabedian R. Bashshur, 2003). Quality is an umbrella for continuous staff and organization development using new methods, an equal emphasis on specification and measurement as an attitudes and relationships. It also building on good practices as well as introducing new procedure raising satisfaction at the same time reducing costs and increasing productivity. (J.Ovretveit, 1992). Definition of quality is different from many others according to Maxwell (1984), accessibility, relevance to need, equity, social acceptability, efficiency and effectiveness. But here is something missed which is central to the quality which is customers responsiveness and what customers want. Fully meeting customer requirements or the totality of futures and characteristics stated of implied needs (BSI, 1990). The most comprehensive and perhaps the simplest definition of quality is that used by advocates of total quality management doing the right thing right, right away.(Quality Assurance Project, Lori DiPrete Brown, 2010). Quality is proper performance (according to standards) of interventions that are known to be safe, that are affordable to the society in question, and that have the ability to produce an impact on mortality, morbidity, disability, and malnutrition. -M.I. Roemer and C. Montoya Aguilar, WHO, 1988 According to Roemer, M.I., (1998) the most comprehensive and conceivably the simplest definition of quality is that used by advocates of total quality management: .Doing the right thing right, right away. Quality frame Work: As health and social care quality is, by necessity, a multi-factorial and broad ranging concept, the definition, measurement and communication of quality in health and social care should involve multiple stakeholders. (RCN position statement, 2010). In health care, quality assurance has been meant to apply predominantly, or even exclusively to health and social care practitioner (A.Donabedian, 2003). However discrepant views between the different stakeholders, ranging from service users (the public, patients and carers) to service providers (nurses, allied health professionals and clinicians) and commissioners of health and social care, exist with regards to the definition and prioritisation of quality issues (Leatherman and Sutherland, 2008, Campbell et al., 2002). Many authorities and organisations in the UK and elsewhere have chosen to adopt an off the shelf performance improvement model or tool in order to help them manage strategically and deliver against the national modernisat ion agenda. (Review of Performance Improvement Models and Tools, 2006). These are the Investor in People, ISO9001:2000 quality system and Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) etc. On the other hand there are many other approaches and tools available on the market and the choice which to use can be a difficult one. Investor in People: Over 34,000 UK organisations are recognised as Investors in People employing around 27% of the UK workforce. Investors in People provide a straightforward, proven framework for delivering business improvement through people. 73% of Captains of Industry working with recognised Investors in People organisations believe that working with the framework leads to increased productivity.  79% of employers recognised with the Investors in People Standard say it helps all types of organisations adapt to change and growth'(Ipsos Mori Tracking study 2008). Figure: The Investors in People Standard There are three principles of Investor in People to which an organisations key indicators and to work towards have donate to and It is the reflects of business planning cycle (plan, do, review) for following and implement in their own planning cycle structure it obvious for organisations .The structure is based on three main principles: Plan -development to improve the performance of the organisation. Do -to improve the performance of the organisation they take necessary step/action. Review assess the impact of its investment in people on the performance of the organisation. Organisations perform better when their employees have clear goals and are supported by human resource (HR) practices Investors in People recognised organisations have greater human capital flexibility. This denotes to alter their behaviour, to cope with changing workplace circumstances or practices in practice are employees in Investors in People organisations are more capable. Including doing poles apart jobs and acclimatizing to new ways of working with the Investors in People Standard has a positive contact on novelty of a greater willingness to gain new skills. People acknowledgment is more expected to have high levels of service and product innovation effectual communication has a straight and positive result on profitability of Organisations that have Investors. By the learning to have a positive effect on communication inside an organisation and therefore a collision on profitability, assessed by profit margin and profit per employee is shown for Investors in People standing. (Institute for Employment Studies, 2008). The whole process is driven by your needs as a customer. Investors in People specialist will establish with organisational priorities and goals are at the start and then identify the most relevant parts of the framework for your organisation and its particular needs. Through the assessment process Investors in People specialist will provide feedback and advice on the areas of achievement and where there is room for development and Continual support which is personal, practical and flexible in the form of visits, online tools such as the business improvement tool IIP Interactive. Relationship with the Investors in People specialist is enhanced and their input is even more consultative (IIP, 2010). ISO9001:2000 quality system: ISO 9001:2000 is the global standard and come up for quality management systems. The standard mainly focuses on the management of processes and documentation work in order to meet customers needs and expectations. The standard originated in the UK in 1976 as BS 5750. It later evolved to ISO9001 and was revised in 2000 to ISO9001:2000. The nature and reduced documentation requirements of the latest edition of the standard have significantly increased its applicability to the public sector. (ISO: 9000, 2010) The technical committee (TC) 176 developed a series of international standards for quality systems, which were first published in 1987. The standards (ISO 9000.9001, and 9004) were intended to be advisory and were developed for use in two-party contractual situation and internal auditing. However with their adoption by the European community (EC) and a worldwide emphasis on quality and economic competitiveness, the standards have become universally accepted (Besterfield, D. H. 2007). ISO 9001:2000 Quality management systems (QMS)- requirements in the standard used for registration by demonstrating conformity of the QMS to customers, regulatory, and the organizations own requirements (Besterfield, D. H. 2007). The mark is a public demonstration that the organisations quality system has been assessed and is internationally recognised. Once an organisation has gained ISO9001:2000 status it will be visited at regular intervals each year to ensure the standard is maintained. Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO): Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) is an off-the-shelf quality assurance system. It was first developed in 1997, which offers a practical step-by-step and designed specifically for use within voluntary and community sector organisations to improve the way organization runs and to help them to improve the quality of their services (PQASSO 3rd edition 2008). It provides a stage approach to working out what an organisation is doing well and what could be improved and approach to implementing 3 qualities through levels of achievement'(Proveandimprove 2010). Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) is a quality assurance system that was produced by the Charities Evaluation Service (CES) specifically for small and medium sized voluntary and community sector organisations (PMMI 2006). It aims to help organisations to set priorities for the future to improve their performance. Charities Evaluation Services (CES) has also designed a CD-ROM to complement the work pack and make the self-assessment process more manageable. PQASSO covers twelve standard quality areas, which organisations should address in order to operate efficiently and achieve good results. The twelve areas are: Planning for quality Governance 3. Management 4. User-centred service 5. Staff and volunteers 6. Training and development 7. Managing money 8. Managing resources 9. Managing activities 10. Networking and partnerships 11. Monitoring and evaluation 12. Results Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations (PQASSO) is currently a self assessment tool although the CES are looking at building peer review into the approach. The system is very flexible and is designed to be worked through over a period of time anything from 12 months to several years. Its focuses strongly outcomes, and helps you to measure the differences to any organization and users that come about by planning and implementing improvements. Organization also can choose to work towards the externally assessed PQASSO quality mark. Especially any small or medium-sized organisation without any paid members of staff or organisations with one or two members of staff can use Quality First. The PQASSO quality mark validates an organizations progress made through self assessment, and it will be cost between  £1,055 to  £1,200 depending on the size of your organization [Islington Voluntary Action Council (IVAC), 2010]. It is a good starting point for organisations tha t are unfamiliar with quality tools. According to Paton (2003), suggests that organizations which allow plenty of time to engage properly in the PQASSO process are more likely to gain significant organisational benefits. However research conducted by Aston Business School (2004) advises funders of the critical importance of allowing and encouraging VCOs to make informed choices about quality systems. Health and Social care Quality standard in UK: In the UK governments White Paper A First class service: Quality in the NHS clinical governance is defined as a framework through which NHS organizations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care flourish (DoH, 1998). There are numerous concepts and theories associated with ever-increasing base of knowledge on the subject of quality assurance, so much so that it was difficult to choose which to develop. There are many definitions of the term quality assurance written by people who have researched the subject thoroughly (Diana N.T. Sale 2000). Quality assurance is the measurement of the actual level of the service provided plus the efforts to modify when necessary the provision of these service in the light of the results of the measurement (Williamson, 1979). In Britain, the 1990 government NHS reform put quality on the agenda for the first time (DoH 1989). A standard is a level of quality against which performance can be measured. It can be described as essential- the absolute minimum to ensure safe and effective practice, or developmental, designed to encourage and support a move to better practice. The Quality Standards for Health and Social Care, which is contained in this document, is classed as essential. Given the rapidly changing environment in which the HPSS operates, it is important that standards do not become outdated or serve to stifle innovation. To prevent this, standards need to be regularly reviewed and updated. It will be the Departments responsibility, drawing on the best evidence available, including advice, reports and/or information from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), to keep the quality standards under consideration, with a formal review being completed by the end of 2008. In recent years under the rubric of total quality management it has become popular to include in the idea of quality assurance almost every function or activity a health care organization (A.Donabedian, 2003). It is reasonable to say that the quality of the environment of health care, including the managerial activities in it, have an influence of the quality of care- either directly, by influencing the performance of practitioner or indirectly, by influencing the convenience, comfort, or safety patients(Berwick, D.M., 1989). Conclusion: Some believe that quality in health care is too abstract and nebulous a concept to precisely defined or objectively measured and one cannot assure or guarantee quality. One only increases probability that will be good or better (A.Donabedian, 2003). Quality cannot be guaranteed, many, included myself, it criticized the term assurance. It suggested alternatives have been improvement or, better still continuous improvement, terms meant to remind us that no given level of quality can be fully satisfactory; one should always try to do even better, progressing to ever higher level of goodness (Berwick, D. 1989). Quality if care is the responsibility of everyone involved in health care and it has never been more important than it is today. Setting and monitoring standards of care and quality assurance are separate issues, although they are sometimes discussed as though they are same (Diana N.T. Sale 2000 p.34-38). Standard must be evidence based and dynamic always moving, always changing to ensure or improve the quality of patient care rather than just a paper exercise.