Critically analyse the goverment initiative New Deal area of training Essay

Critically analyse the goverment initiative New Deal area of training and to assess where such an approach could be used within an organizational setting - Essay Example within the international market has to focus on the following issues: ‘a) the business structure, b) the legislative and employment relationship context, c) the patterns of HRM competence and decision-making and d) the national culture’ (Schuler et al., 1998, 159). In accordance with the above study human resources development has to be differentiated in each country worldwide in accordance with the local business ethics and the national culture; the potential of organizations to respond to the needs of the particular strategy (especially regarding its cost) has also to be considered as playing a role in the above differentiation. In order to measure the value of human resources development in organizations within the international market, it is necessary to refer to the particular elements of HRD as they can be observed in daily business activities worldwide. Regarding a particular aspect of HRD, training, it is suggested by Reid et al. (2004, 52) that ‘training i s an intervention into an ongoing learning process; the culture, philosophy, policies and procedures of the organisation form a very powerful learning environment, which must be taken into consideration’. In fact, organizations can choose among different HRD strategies when having to develop their employees’ skills. For this reason, Brown (1997, 15) noticed that ‘organizations can buy skills through hiring, or they can develop skills through training and development (T&D) activities’. Current paper refers to a particular aspect of HRD, this of training and especially to a relevant scheme implemented by the British government in order to support new employees in the medical sector. The scheme analyzed is ‘New Deal’, a programme of active labour market policies introduced in the United Kingdom by the Labour government in 1998 aiming to reduce unemployment by providing training, subsidised employment, and voluntary work to the unemployed’ (Wikipedia, 2007). The particular effort has

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Leadership - Essay Example To enhance teams performance one proven approach that helps with this is the GROW model. GROW is an acronym standing for Goal - Current Reality - Options - Will. A useful metaphor for the GROW model is the plan we might make for an important journey. First, it starts with a map: With this, one can help the team member decide where they are going (their Goal) and establish where they currently are (their Current Reality). Then explore the various ways (the Options) of making the journey. In the final step, establishing the Will, leader ensures the team members are committed to making the journey and prepared for the conditions and obstacles they may meet on their way. . Therefore the key is that the team should be viewed as an important resource whose maintenance must be managed just like any other resource and that this management should be undertaken by the team itself so that it forms a normal part of the teams activities. As a collection of people, a group needs to relearn some basic manners and people-management skills. In a study by Peter and William (2004) they concluded that strong organizational support, team leadership, and high levels of interpersonal team skills help quality improvement teams go further. Thus a trained leader and team training can help any service team to act professionally and yield desired results. Peter, M., William, W. (2004). Characteristics of successful quality improvement teams: Lessons from five collaborative projects in the VHA, 30(7), 152-162. Retrieved December 15, 2008 from

Main place of work Essay Example for Free

Main place of work Essay Three key points of legislation that affect employers in a business are: 1. Health and safety at Work Act 2. National Minimum Wage Act 1998 3. Pension 2b) List three key points of legislation that affect employees in a business environment. Three key points of legislation that affect employees are: 1. Data Protection Act 1998 2. The Equality Act 2010 3. The Working Time Regulations 3. Identify a range of places where a person can find information on employment rights and responsibilities. You should identify at least two internal and two external sources of information. Internal sources of information: 1. Terms of employment contract 2. Organisation policies and procedures 3. Informed college 4. Line managers 5. Trade union representatives External sources of information: 1. Citizen Advice Bureau 2. ACAS (Conciliation and Arbitration Service) 3. Government agencies 4. Libraries 5. Legal professionals 4. Describe how representative bodies can support employees. Representative bodies are organisations that represent the interest and rights of the employees. They can offer support to employees by negotiating pay and terms of employment and providing information, consultation and legal services. They also can help employees with pensions and collective redundancy issues. 5. Briefly describe employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity in a business environment. You should give at least two employer responsibilities and two employee responsibilities. If possible, provide relevant equality and diversity procedures from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. The employer has the responsibility to develop and apply policies and procedures reflecting equality and diversity latest legislation, make sure that the line managers promote fair treatment and train the employees in equality and diversity topics. The employees responsibilities are to understand and respect the policies and procedures of the organisation regarding equality and diversity and respect others regardless of disabilities , ethnicity, gender etc.

Analysis of the Indian Chyawanprash manufacturer YuvAnaH

Analysis of the Indian Chyawanprash manufacturer YuvAnaH Company profile: YuvAnaH is an Indian company which manufactures Chyawanprash. It was established in 2004. It is positioned as a company which manufactures exclusively Chyawanprash. It is known to have provided good quality Chyawanprash for all age groups, across social boundaries. It has received various certificates over the years which include Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices to manufacture Ayurveda, HACCP and GMP Certification in compliance with the Food Drug Administration regulation. YuvAnaH is ISO 9002 certified. Vision: Focus on growing their core brands across categories, reaching out to new geographies, within and outside India. Mission Their mission goes beyond the mere provision to heal ailments and extends to helping people live long, healthy and productive lives. They seek to explore harness the tremendous potentials of Ayurveda offer the goodness for human welfare. Objectives: Products: YuvAnaH Chyawanprash: This is ordinary Chyawanprash. It contains all the basic ingredients of Chyawanprash and can be consumed by people belonging to all age groups. YuvAnaH Chocolate Chyawanprash: This is chocolate flavored Chyawanprash targeting children and people who favor chocolates. It will be marketed as a product with added benefits of chocolates. YuvAnaH Sugar-free Chyawanprash: This is targeted to diabetic patients since it does not contain artificial sweeteners. YuvAnaH Chyawanprash (for summer):This Chyawanprash is specially made for the summer season to provide protection against infections that are common during the season. YuvAnaH Diet Chyawanprash: This product is specially designed for the Diet conscious with particular ingredients. YuvAnaH Chyawanprash (for pregnant women): Pregnant women are advised not to have chyawanprash. This product will cater to the needs of a pregnant woman. YuvAnaH Chyawanprash (for Skin): This product contains added herbs which are beneficial for a glowing skin. According to Ayurveda, Chyawanprash comes under the category of Rasayana which aims at maintaining youthfulness, vigor, vitality of the body and keeping away aging process, senility and debility. It maintains the proper functioning of the cells and rejuvenates the cells. However, the main ingredient, regardless of the exact formula is always amla or amalaki, a tropical gooseberry that is the worlds richest source of vitamin C. It is, moreover, a source that remains stable in storage for years. Digestive and immune system: Chaywanprashs basic ingredient amla has 30 times more vitamin C than orange and helps in strengthening the immune system and expediting the healing process. Regular intake of chyawanprash strengthens digestion, absorption and assimilation of food and balances stomach acids. Heart and Brain The perfect blend of Ayurvedic herbs acts as a cardiac stimulant and nourishes the brain cells by supporting the nervous system and enhances co-ordination and memory power. The tonic is good for students as it increases retention and recall. Lung, Liver and Kidneys The smooth functioning of the lungs is facilitated by the regular intake of chyawanprash.Chyawanprash helps purify blood and invigorates the liver and helps to eliminate toxins. It helps the downward flow of energy in the body and eases constipation. Other Benefits The holistic traditional formula of chyawanprash improves skin complexion, glow and fights dermal bacterial infection. It promotes hair growth and helps absorption of calcium resulting in strong bones and teeth. It is especially good for alleviating cough and asthma. The anti-oxidant properties of the tonic act against the ageing process and maintain youthfulness. Canada Canada: Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the worlds second largest country by total area, and shares land borders with the United States to the south and northwest. Demographics: Capital: Ottawa Largest City: Toronto Currency: Canadian Dollar Population of Canada: (2008  estimate) 33,157,200 (0.51% of World population) Population growth rate: 0.869% Birth Rate 10.75 births/1,000 population Density: 3.2/km ²Ã‚  (219th) It is the worlds second largest country by total area.(Area: 99884670 km^2 Even though the density is just 3 persons per square kilometer , a majority of population is concentrated in the narrow band along the U.S. border, leaving a major portion of the land mass unoccupied. Distribution of population: Population Distribution by Age Group 0-14 17.9% 15-64 69.1% 65+ 13.0% Population of Main Metro Areas: Toronto 5,203,571 Montreal 3,607,150 Vancouver 2,159,994 Ottawa-Gatineau (Capital) 1,142,708 Calgary 1,037,136 Edmonton 1,001,636 Quebec City 710,801 Hamilton 702,396 Winnipeg 698,210 London 459,697 Considering the fact that a majority of population lives in the metros mentioned above, majority of our marketing promotions will concentrated in those areas. Economic Environment: Gross National Product: $760 Purchasing power parity(per capita) $29,400 (According to the World Bank Economic Groups, Canada falls under the high per capita income category) Canada was the only country from G7 to record a surplus in 2006 and 2007. It was estimated to be the only country from G7 to record a surplus in 2008 as well. Canada is on track to eliminate its net debt by 2021. By doing so, Canada will be able to count itself among the very few OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries that are in a net asset position. The OECD forecasts Canadas surplus will be 0.8  per cent of GDP in 2008, compared to an expected average deficit of 2.7 per cent in the G7 countries. Trade and Economic Organization Memberships Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation Commonwealth Group of Eight (G8) International Monetary Fund La Francophone North Atlantic Treaty Organization Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Organization of American States United Nations (and its subsidiary agencies) World Bank World Trade Organization Thus, the size of the market and the nature of the economy portray a positive economic environment of Canada and favor the establishment of business relations with it. Cultural environment: Established in 1867 as a nation without war or rebellion, Canadians are most likely to be described as friendly, peaceful, polite, modest. They have a unique culture and deeply rooted values and traditions and though they enjoy cordial relations with their neighbor; the United States; they are not Americans. They love to laugh , often at their own expense, since they dont always take themselves too seriously. Language: Unlike many countries Canada has 2 official languages; English and French. A majority of French speakers-called francophones-live in Quebec. Thus they have a bilingual culture. This fact will be kept in mind by resorting to bilingual labeling and advertising and bilingual press releases. Creativity: Canadians value creativity and support its nurturing in all walks of life. They are not resistant to change. Attitudes and Values: Canadians struggle with how to promote their image as Canadians and separate themselves from Americans. Our marketing strategies will take care of this cultural factor. Canadians are practical in their approach. They speak their minds and voice their opinions and are open to those of others. British novelist Douglas Adams said each country was like a particular type of person, and Canada is like an intelligent 35 year old woman. America, on the other hand, is a belligerent adolescent boy Canadians tend to dislike excessive promotion. It is favorable to skip the hype and focus on the facts. They also tend to dislike companies which make negative comparisons with Canadian products. Religion: Canada has a wide mix of religions and there is no official religion of Canada; though a majority of the population follows Christianity, followed by a large number of people who claimed to have no religious affiliation. Family structure: a typical family structure in Canada in 2005 was a spouse and no children below the age of 13; at least one child between the age of 13 and 24. Political Environment: Canada has a federal parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. In general, Canadian politics have not operated through revolutionary, swift changes. Instead, change is typically slow and worked out through compromise between interest groups, regional consultations, and the government of the day. India and Canada have always had a healthy trade relationship. Thus , political environment is also favorable and there will not be any major issues as far as the government is concerned. Legal Environment: Canada can guarantee investors the overall lowest tax rate among developed countries. One important factor is the legal system in Canada is that although their criminal law system nationally and the civil law system in most of Canada is based on the English precedent-based system of common law, civil law in the Province of Quà ©bec is based on the French Code Napolà ©on. For this reason, we should ensure that our Canadian legal advisors are well versed in both systems. Few laws that are different to Quebec particularly are as follows: Generally speaking, a French firm name may be accompanied by its English version, provided that the French version appears at least as prominently; however, in  some cases, use of the English version of a firm name is only permitted if the French version is markedly predominant, meaning the French text must have a much greater visual impact than the text in another language. Product labelling:  Every inscription on a product,   its container or   wrapping, or on a leaflet, brochure or card supplied with it, including the directions for use and warranty certificate, must be drafted in French. Public signs, posters and commercial advertising:  Public signs, posters and commercial advertising may also be bilingual, provided that the French is markedly predominant. However, large billboards or signs that are visible from any part of a public highway must be exclusively in French, unless they are displayed on the firms premises. Likewise, signs on public transportation vehicles, such as buses and subways, must be exclusively in French, unless they are used regularly to transport passengers or merchandise both inside and outside Quà ©bec, in which case the signs may be bilingual. Any corporation that contravenes the Charter is liable for each offence to a fine of up to $1,400 and, for any subsequent conviction, to a fine of up to $7,000. All shipments to Canada are also subject to the 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST), a multi-stage sales tax. About Health Canada: The new face of the average Canadian health care consumer belongs to a well-educated, middle-income, middle-aged woman who is actively involved in her own well-being. She is very interested in diet and nutrition, longevity, alternative medical therapies, vitamins and antioxidants. And shes willing to pay: she spends between $500 and $1000 a year on health supplements. Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are the major reasons for hospitalization in Canada. Other reasons include digestive diseases, genitourinary diseases, poisoning, mental disorders etc. A chart showing leading causes of death in Canada is as under: . Canadians are health conscious and try to make healthy eating decisions. According to a new study conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Sleeman Breweries, nine in ten (93%) Canadians say they try to be health conscious when making decisions about what to eat. The factors which play an important role in the eating habits of Canadians are as follows: Source: Tracking Nutrition Trends survey Key motivators to change/ improve eating habits Percentage To maintain personal health 58% To lose weight 22% To accommodate the needs of family members 10% To prevent disease 8% To look better 8% The relative importance of each of these factors, however, differed according to age, with responses related looking better being more prevalent among adults under the age of 25 (17%) and responses related to maintaining health and preventing disease being more prevalent among those over the age of 45. National Population Health Survey (NPHS) also indicated that the single biggest reason reported for avoiding or choosing certain foods for both women (80%) and men (63%) is maintaining or improving health. Diabetes: We all know that there is no quick fix for diabetes. More than 2 million Canadians have diabetes, over one third of them arent diagnosed. Forty percent of Canadians with diabetes develop long-term complications such as high blood pressure, vision loss and kidney disease. It is clear that diabetes has become a public health challenge of major proportions in Canada. Many cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented by making healthier living choices. Childrens eating habits: Unhealthy eating habits during childhood can interfere with optimal growth and development Poor diet can predispose to a number of serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and some cancers, and lead to a poorer quality of life. Increases in other nutrition-related risk factors for chronic disease in children such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and type 2 diabetes have also been found. Poor diet has also been linked to low academic performance, classroom behaviour problems and low self-esteem among school-age children. The Canadian Community Health Survey found that seven out of 10 children aged four to eight, and half of adults, did not eat the recommended daily minimum of five servings of vegetables and fruit. Children age four to eight years consumed fewer vegetables and fruit on average than any age group, 4.18 servings per day. Among girls aged 10-16 years, 83% did not consume the recommended three daily servings of milk products. More than a fifth of total calories consumed by 4-18 year olds and 18.2% of calories consumed by four to eight year old children came from the other foods category. More than a third of these other foods were reported as soft drinks, sugars, fruit drinks, animal fats, chocolate bars and potato chips. Among youth aged 14-18, one quarter of all calories came from other foods. The growing number of older and longer living Canadians, faced with health problems and being more prone to illnesses and injuries, have supported sales of medications and healthcare services in the country. Recently, a research showed that many Canadians are increasingly turning to preventive care and self-medication, thereby increasing the scope of health products like Chyawanprash. Marketing Mix: Products: YuvAnaH Chyawanprash YuvAnaH Chocolate Chyawanprash. YuvAnaH Sugar-free Chyawanprash. YuvAnaH Chyawanprash ( for summer) YuvAnaH Diet Chyawanprash YuvAnaH Chyawanprash ( for pregnant women) YuvAnaH Chyawanprash ( for skin) All YuvAnaH products will be available in a standard size of 500 gms. Branding: All our products will be branded under the name of YuvAnaH which is Sanskrit for the youthful, thereby following Umbrella Branding. Ayurveda is native to the Indian Subcontinent. Thus, the Sanskrit name YuvAnaH implies a Made in India image which works favorably for the company. Packaging and labeling: Our product will be packed in HDPE plastic containers which will be sealed with a golden foil. The federal Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act require bilingual designation of the generic name on most prepackaged consumer products. Under this Act, the following information must appear on the package/label of a consumer good sold in Canada: Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM) This is to ensure the people about the safety of the product. Since Canadians tend to make healthy eating decisions; the package of the product will emphasize the nutrients and herbs it contains along with its benefits. Other relevant information includes Name of the product Brand name of the product ,Country of origin ,Name and address of the local importer, Date Marking, Manufacturing, Date ,Expiry Date , Storage Batch Number and Packaging Date(PKD, )Precautionary Message ,Bar Code, Dosage, Nutritional Value (different for various flavors,) Ingredients (different for various flavors). Promotion Mix: Analysis: Electronic Media: Television in Canada: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) operates both English-language and French-language national television networks. Both networks broadcast on two channels, one with regular programming and one with all-news programming. There are two private national television networks: CTV, broadcasting on two English-language channels (regular programming and all-news) and Global Television, broadcasting on a single English language channel. There are also 105 independent television stations in Canada. Over 98% of Canadian households own Television sets. 2 out of 3 households subscribe to Cable TV though over-the-air local television is free. 85% of Canadian consumers agree that they are too obsessed with images of youth. They feel alienated by advertisements that do not portray people like me. Government control: Quebec: Section 248 of the Consumer Protection Act 1980 provides that no person may make use of commercial advertising directed at persons less than thirteen years of age. Radio Canadians spend more time with radio compared to the US (22.2 hrs weekly) and radio enjoys a larger share of ad spending in Canada. Print Media: The newspaper with the highest circulation is the Toronto Star, and the newspaper with the highest readership per capita is the Windsor Star. Readership of community newspapers is strong despite the size of the market 70.4% of the ComBase sample read the most recent issue of their community newspaper. These readers are loyal; with most reading all 4 of the last 4 issues They read with attention reading most or all of each issue Community newspapers get high ratings from their readers. Community newspapers capture a very high proportion of exclusive readers. Point of Purchase advertising: 72% of big boxes were added in the previous nine years. 59% of all big box locations are on expressways. This gives a scope for sales through point of purchase advertising. Perception of Ayurvedic Medicines: In 2005, the Canadian government had banned the sale of Indian ayurvedic medicines in the country claiming that they contain high levels of metals like lead and mercury and arsenic, posing grave health risks. Improper manufacturing processes may result in dangerously high level of heavy metals remaining in the final product. However YuvAnaH Chyawanprash is not included in the products that are banned. Our company obtained the certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices in 2001 and also ISO 9002 certification in 1999. The products are manufactured as per Indian Standards. Authorized natural health products will either bear an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), a Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM). This authorization indicates that the product has been assessed by Health Canada for safety, efficacy and quality. All our promotion programmes will highlight the fact that our products are legal and completely safe for consumption. Place Mix: Entry Strategy: We intend to enter Canada by directly exporting our products. The company has two distributors in Canada; one in Toronto and one in Vancouver. As shown in the demographics, these are the most populated metros of Canada. They also happen to be the cities where most of the Canadians live. These distributors stock the products in their warehouses and regularly supply to retailers over there. They have major tie-ups with many super markets and these markets sell their products. We will follow 4 level channel of distribution involving our importer, distributers and retailers. Through our distributors YuvAnaH will reach out to all the major cities of Canada some of which are Toronto Montreal, Vancouver , Ottawa-Gatineau (Capital), Calgary , Edmonton, Quebec City, Hamilton, Winnipeg, London. Competitors: Dabur Chyawanprash: The biggest and major competitor for the company is the Dabur Chyawanprash. Dabur is already an established player in this country and has a wide range of products over here. The company has a major market share in Canada. Dabur is also a very famous brand in India and thus has the edge. Himani Sona Chandi Chyawanprash: There are other competitors such as the Himani Sona Chandi Chyawanprash. This company is also an established company in India and has a wide range of products in Canadian market. Its moisturizing cream Boroplus is huge success in Canada and thus has helped company strengthen its base in Canada. Tattvas Herbs Chyawanprash is also an exporter of Chyawanprash and is available in Canada. Since the major herbs required in Chywanprash are available only in India there no manufacturers of it in Canada. Competitive edge: The prices of Dabur, Himani, and Tattvas is very high .They cater only to the high spending class of people. This leaves YuvAnaH an opportunity to target the low-spending category. None of the competitors provide chocolate flavored Chyawanprash or sugar free chyawanprash in Canada. Here, YuvAnaH has an edge over the others. The only company which has franchises in Canada is Dabur . Since our company is also planning to introduce similar kind of stores where all our products would be available company hopes to face the competition fiercely.

Devastated Asia - Tsunami Attack :: essays research papers

(Based on the December 26th attack) What Are Tsunamis, and What Causes Them? Tsunamis are ocean waves produced by earthquakes or underwater landslides. The word is Japanese and means "harbor wave," because of the devastating effects these waves have had on low-lying Japanese coastal communities. A tsunami is a series of waves that can travel at speeds averaging 450 (and up to 600) miles per hour in the open ocean. As the waves approach the coast, their speed decreases and their amplitude increases. Tsunamis are most often generated by earthquake-induced movement of the ocean floor. Landslides, volcanic eruptions, and even meteorites can also generate a tsunami. Areas at greatest risk are less than 25 feet above sea level and within one mile of the shoreline. From an initial tsunami generating source area, waves travel outward in all directions much like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a pond. As these waves approach coastal areas, the time between successive wave crests varies from 5 to 90 minutes. Their Effect†¦ †¦on lives Most deaths caused by a tsunami are because of drowning. Associated risks include flooding, contamination of drinking water, fires from ruptured tanks or gas lines, and the loss of vital community infrastructure. †¦on hygiene Contrary to popular belief that rapid burial is essential to prevent outbreaks of disease, post-disaster, a report by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) says: â€Å" dead bodies pose a negligible risk †. †¦on the infrastructure With most people focusing their attention on the losses suffered by the fishing community, in the aftermath of the tsunami, Tamil Nadu’s (deprived of aid) coastal farmers have to come to terms with destroyed crops, damaged soil and devastated livelihoods. Scores of farmers in Tamil Nadu face an uncertain future as the water that engulfed their fields, washing away crops, has left the soil saline and uncultivable. Although the extent of the damage is yet to be fully assessed, officials say that a substantial proportion of cultivable land has been contaminated by salt water. †¦on tourism Tourism constitutes a major sector of the Indian economy and it will be correct to say that it has been affected due to the tsunami tragedy. Tourists who were planning to go to the south – eastern coastal regions have cancelled their bookings at the last few minutes. Travel agents have had to deal with these last-minutes cancellations and there will be an immediate impact on the travel industry for India.

Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized Essay -- pot should not be legal

My best friend used to smoke marijuana on a regular basis. Over time, he developed many obvious bad habits and changed his life style tremendously. He started getting lazy with schoolwork, and did not show much interest in anything at all. His parents noticed all these side effects that had been occurring but were unaware that their son smoked marijuana. After the grades fell so much, they decided to take him to get checked out because they were afraid he had developed some sort of ADD. They come to find out that because of him smoking so much marijuana it had led to brain problems, memory problems and affected his thinking skills. He was unable to stay concentrated on something and constantly was out of breath when any physical activity took place. My friend finally quit smoking marijuana because he saw what it was doing to his life. Many teens try marijuana not knowing all the side effects that come with this drug. This drug has many misconceptions from when it is really legal to w hat marijuana will actually do to your body. People think that marijuana is the most harmless drug because one never hears of people dying from it or getting deathly ill. This is false because marijuana does things to the body that can not be seen from the outside. The majority of the damage is in the brain and lungs which can get extremely dangerous. All the bad side effects from this drug will really harm people’s bodies and ruin their futures and lives. Marijuana has many bad side effects that harm the body. According to Szara Braude, marijuana slows down reactions causing problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, difficulty in thinking, and loss of coordination (Marijuana as a medicine 53). Many people use this drug not knowing wh... ...s look up to their peers and do whatever they do because they think it is the cool thing to do. Many times it is out of peer pressure that people try this drug to begin with. This can all be avoided if everyone is aware of the bad side effects that can occur in their bodies and what is in marijuana that will mess up their lives. Works Cited Berger, Gilda. Addiction. Chicago: Franklin Watts, 1992. Earlywine, Mitchell. Understanding Marijuana: A new look at the scientific evidence. New York Oxford University Press. 2002. Glazer, Sarah. â€Å"Preventing Teen Drug Use.† CO Researcher. 28 July 1995: 659-662. Mack, Alison. Marijuana as a medicine? Washington, D.C. National Academy Press. 2001. Ravage, Barbara. â€Å"Marijuana Update.† Current Health. Oct. 1994: 6-12. Robert, Michael. â€Å"Social Awakening: As Adolescent Adulthood Begins.† Health 15 (2001): 53-56.

Glass Ceiling Topic

INTRODUCTION: The research team has selected the topic of â€Å"Glass ceiling† for the research project. It has been observed that during the last few years a lot of women are going in management field but not a lot of them are getting an opportunity to get into the top management positions. This has got nothing to do with their abilities and dedication to their work, it is clear that glass ceiling is affecting and stopping the women from reaching the top management positions. The problem of glass ceiling persists in the other countries of the world as is clear from the previous researches but this problem is more evident in Pakistan. This is because despite the boom in education sector, the society still remains conservative and negative feelings and stereotypes do exist against women employees. As a result of the glass ceiling, the performance of women employees is also being affected. This is a cause of concern and it is happening because women managers feel that they are not being treated equally. They develop the feelings that their efforts are not being properly rewarded. Due to the presence of pre-defined rules and regulation for promotions women working in public sector are not being affected a great deal by glass ceiling. Thus it is the private sector where the women are facing glass ceiling the most. The significance of this study is that the research team looked into the main problems which are prohibiting the women from going into the top management positions. By identifying the factors causing the problems, the team will be able to judge the reasons and help eradicate them. It is important to look in the organizational factors that would help the women to reach to top management positions as early as they deserve. This study is an effort to not only identify the factors responsible for affecting the performance of women managers through glass ceiling but also to give solutions to over come from this problems. LITERATURE REVIEW The term ‘glass ceiling’ refers to the transparent but real and strong barrier which prevents women from moving up in the management hierarchy in an organization (Morrison & Glinow, 1990). The minority of women in senior management has led many researchers to investigate whether glass ceiling barriers such as sexual discrimination, gender wage gap, gender stereotype, harassment and lack of family-friendly workplace policies in the organizations are at play and how these barriers affect the performance of female employees in the organizations (Jeavons & Sevastos, 2002). The existence of glass ceiling in different organizations, cultures and time span has been confirmed by many researchers. In 1997, Tokunaga & Graham looked at employees in the technical division at one large Fortune 500 corporation and found that female engineers could not advance as far up the corporate hierarchy as did the male engineers, thereby providing evidence for the existence of a â€Å"glass ceiling† against women. A research conducted by Veale & Gold (1998) in Metropolitan District Council situated in Yorkshire, UK also confirmed that a glass ceiling did exist within the council and this inhibited women’s progression into senior management. This existence of a strong glass ceiling effect prevents women to progress in the organizations. A study controlled for previous job experience, education, age, tenure, initial job level and gender showed that even levels of promotions existed for men and women. However, qualitative data showed that women were employed by the organization at a level that was lower than their qualifications, or lower than men doing the same job. Therefore, even with equal rates of promotion, women will not progress as far as men (Jeavons & Sevastos, 2002). There a number of factors that keeps the glass ceiling in effect. One of them is the gender stereotype. Over the last three decades, Schein (2007) found that gender stereotyping of the managerial position has continued to be the major barrier to women’s progress in management, worldwide. He also shown that on international level, the view of women as less likely than men to possess requisite management characteristics is a commonly held belief among male management students in the USA, the UK, Germany, China and Japan. Apart from gender stereotyping, gender wage gap also plays its role in the organizations. Across a sample of eleven European Union countries in 1995–2001 Booth & Bryan (2007) found that women were paid less than men and this wage gap typically widened toward the top of the wage distribution (the â€Å"glass ceiling† effect), and in a few cases it also widened at the bottom (the â€Å"sticky floor† effect). In recent studies of promotion to partner process, Kumra & Vinnicombe (2008) concluded that the disadvantages women face in organizations in relation to the promotion to partner process arise from a combination of firm-based and societal based factors. Discussing the relationship between discrimination, harassment and glass ceiling (Bell, McLaughlin & Sequeira, 2002), glass ceiling was referred as one of the form of sex discrimination. In the study it was concluded that because all three have some common antecedents, steps to reduce one of them will likely affect the others. Apart from that they suggested that measures designed to increase numbers of women in higher level positions will reduce sexual harassment. As a result of this glass ceiling there is an inclination of women to entrepreneurship as a result of barriers to women’s advancements in corporation (Mattis, 2004). Mattis showed that lack of flexibility continued to be a feature of the corporate culture that lead to the attrition of high potential women and contributed to the dramatic increase in entrepreneurship among women in the US Glass ceiling affects the performance of women at managerial posts. Some of the â€Å"masculine† organizational barriers that severely hinder women’s ability to be effective in their role as strategic decision makers include reluctance of male subordinates towards female managers; isolation by male colleagues; exclusion from male-dominated informal networks and the lack of mentorship (Okanlawon, 1994). Exploration of a model of decision making (Large & Saunders, 1995) explains how a combination of both individual choices (employees’ own perceptions, requirements and priorities like family, social life) and organizational blockages (organizational structure, policies and culture) maintains the glass ceiling. Gender related attributes also play their role. An appropriate theoretical foundation for explaining differences between male and female service providers originates in the sociology literature and is referred to as feminist theory. This theory proffers two perspectives regarding gender-related differences in performance. One argues that there are a wide variety of issues that are impacted by society’s attitudes towards women (Hooks, 2000). These attitudes are based in the history and institutional structure of society. As a result, women are treated differently than men, so that the performance of businesses owned by women suffers. Another stream of literature argues that there are innate differences between male and female approaches to issues. These differences lead women to take different actions than males in similar situations (Buttner, 2001; Fletcher, 1998). There is an alternative theoretical perspective that would not accept the arguments advanced by feminist theory. The foundation for most of this research is the rational economic model (Ferber & Nelson, 1993). This theory argues that individuals make rational economic choices and seek to maximize economic benefit to themselves or the firm. Most of these models assume that customers are economically rational and will make their choices based on the benefits gained from the transaction, and not the gender of the service provider. Prior research on whether gender as an impact on the financial performance of professional service providers has not provided clear insights on whether feminist theory or the rational economic model is more valid. Some researchers find that women achieve lower financial performance than men (Hisrich & Brush, 1984; Loscocco, Robinson, Hall, & Allen, 1991; Lustgarten, 1995; Chaganti & Prasuraman, 1997; Fasci & Valdez, 1998), while others argue that there is no performance difference between male & female owned enterprises (Fischer, Reuber & Dyke, 1993; Kalleberg & Leicht, 1991). Davidson & Cooper (1983) found that managerial women experience greater strain and feel more isolated at work than males which in turn affect their performance. There is gender difference in leadership because of negative perception and evaluation of women in leadership (Stelter 2002). Sex role orientation and the stereotype of manager role as masculine construct, along with lack of career planning among women are predominant theme that explains why so few women progress to leadership position (Chugh & Sehgal 2007). Women are not advancing in work place because they did not receive training to perform job moreover manager do not appreciate achievements of their women employee as compare to men (Asplund 1988). RESEARCH QUESTION How glass ceiling affect the job performance of managerial women? THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK There are three variables which are under study. Job performance is dependent variable and it is the variable of primary interest and changes or variations in job performance will be explained by two independent variables (1) gender stereotyping (2) cooperation among colleagues. Gender stereotyping has negative relation with job performance i. e. if there is less gender stereotyping among the members of organization then greater will be the job performance. Cooperation has positive relation with job performance i. e. if there is more cooperation among the employees the greater will be the job performance. Review of past researches shows if there is gender stereotyping female manager can not get the equal opportunities, males are only favoring the males so ultimately it affect the job performance of female employees that’s why there is a negative relation between job performance and gender stereotype. Past researches also shows that the cooperation plays a very important role in increasing the job performance because if there is a cooperation among employees then they can motivate each other and it leads towards increase in job performance. Independent Variable Dependent variable [pic] Independent Variable HYPOTHESES ? If cooperation among the colleagues at work place is increased then the job performance of managerial women will be increased. ? If gender stereotyping is reduced at work place then the job performance of managerial women will be increased. METHODOLOGY Study design In this cross-sectional co-relational field study data on two independent variables (gender stereotype, cooperation among colleagues) and dependent variable(job performance) were collected from both males and females at management level working in private organizations( PIFRA(Project to Improve Financial Reporting and Auditing) World bank, Ittehad airlines,IBM Pakistan) in Islamabad through personally administered questionnaires. Population and Sample Population for the study comprised all men and women at managerial level working in private organizations in Islamabad. Quota sampling method was used to draw sample out of population because it was deemed fit by the researchers on the basis of cost and time considerations. Subjects were chosen in predetermined numbers. The total sample size was n=34 which comprised 14 (41. 2%) males and 20(58. 8%) females. 40 questionnaires were given to both gender and they all were received back within a time period of 2 weeks, resulting in 100% response rate because questionnaires were personally administered and researchers clarify research topic, doubts and assist some of the respondents in understanding some questions. The units of analysis were individuals who responded to the survey. Out of females 8 (40 %) were at low and 12 (60 %) were at middle level management. Out of males 8 (57. 1 %) were at low and 6 (42. 9 %) were at middle level management. During data filtration patterns were observed in 6 out of 40 questionnaires of which 3 were filled by males and rest by females, such questionnaires were set a side and remaining 34 were used for analysis. 7 questionnaires include missing items ranging from 1 to 2 so middle value on the interval scale i. e. 3(unsure) was assigned to them. Variables and Measures Questionnaires include two demographic variables (gender & managerial level), they were tapped by direct single questions. ? Job performance: This dependent variable indicates the extent to which employees of the organization are expected to acquire job knowledge, achieve assigned goals and maintain better work related relations with members of organization at workplace. Researchers develop 5 point interval scale containing 6 items to measure the relationship of this variable with cooperation among colleagues (independent variable). An example item is â€Å"A friendly atmosphere among colleagues at work place leads to better job performance† Reliability of these items checked via SPSS SOFTWARE gave alpha= . 56 Means reliable. Researchers used 8 items scale to measure the relationship of job performance with gender stereotype (independent variable). An example item is â€Å"I feel additional pressure to perform because I am women†. Reliability of these items checked via SPSS SOFTWARE gave alpha= . 6334 ? Gender stereotype: Stereotypes of men and women commonly reflect the distinction made in implicit personality theory between agency and communion (e. . , Rosenberg, Nelson, & Vivekananthan, 1968). This independent variable was measured using 5 point interval scale containing 14 items. An example item is â€Å"a woman’s place is in home† Reliability of these items checked via SPSS SOFTWARE gave alpha= . 636 ? Cooperation among colleagues: †cooperation is a process by which individ uals, groups and organizations come together, interact and form psychological relationships for mutual gain or benefit (Smith et al. , 1995)†. This independent variable was measured using 5 point interval scale containing 10 items. An example item is â€Å"open communication of relevant information occurs between male and female colleagues† Reliability of these items checked via SPSS SOFTWARE gave alpha= . 634 Data collection method Data was collected through personally administered questionnaires because the survey was confined to local area i. e. Islamabad. Moreover, this method was deemed fit in Pakistan as compared to mailed and electronic questionnaires. Method of personally administered questionnaires was adopted to introduce research topic, clarify doubts of respondents and collect all the completed responses within a short span of time. All questionnaires were received back within 2 weeks. 5 point interval scale was used for data collection containing range from â€Å"strongly disagree to strongly agree† RESULTS In order to test the formulated hypotheses, statistical analysis of the responses of the questionnaires was done. The reliability of the four scales is given below: Reliability of Cooperation among colleagues (CAC) scale Table 1 Alpha Reliability Coefficient of CAC for the Main Study (N=34) Scale No. of items Alpha coefficient CAC 10 0. 34 Table 1 shows the alpha reliability (r=0. 634) for the CAC scale. The results in table 1 show that scale has satisfactory reliability. Reliability of Gender stereotyping (GS) scale Table 2 Alpha Reliability Coefficient of SRS for the Main Study (N=34) Scale No. of items Alpha coefficient GS 14 0. 636 Table 2 shows the alpha reliability (r=0. 636) for the SRS scale. The results in table 2 show that scale has satisfactory reliability. Reliability of Cooperation effect on Performance (CEP) scale Table 3 Alpha Reliability Coefficient of CEP for the Main Study (N=34) Scale No. of items Alpha coefficient CEP 6 0. 56 Table 3 shows the alpha reliability (r=0. 56) for the PER scale. The results in table 3 show that scale has satisfactory reliability. Reliability of Stereotyping effect on Performance (SEP) scale Table 4 Alpha Reliability Coefficient of SEP for the Main Study (N=34) Scale No. of items Alpha coefficient SEP 6 0. 633 Table 4 shows the alpha reliability (r=0. 633) for the PER scale. The results in table 4 show that scale has satisfactory reliability. The results are organized under five main headings: 1) Cooperation among colleagues 2) Sex-role stereotype 3) Perception about female managers 4) Effect of cooperation on performance of female managers 5) Effect of stereotyping on performance of female managers Cooperation among colleagues Table 5 GenderMeanNSD Male 3. 45140. 63 Female 3. 39200. 43 Note: Scale: strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) The male respondents think that cooperation does exist in private organizations among male and female colleagues (3. 45). Female respondents also think that cooperation exist between male and female colleagues (3. 39). Sex-role stereotype Table 6 GenderMeanNSD Male 3. 10140. 92 Female 2. 76200. 813 Note: Scale: strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) Sex role stereotyping does exist in male respondents but its very less (3. 1). However it does not exist in female respondents (2. 76). Perception about female managers Table 7 GenderMeanNSD Male 2. 67140. 83 Female 3. 51200. 51 Note: Scale: strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5) The male respondents do not think that female managers have to be more competent than males and behave in a typically ‘masculine way’ in order to be noticed and promoted (2. 67). However female respondents think that they are required to be more competent in order to be taken seriously (3. 39). Effect of cooperation on performance of female managers Table 8 Correlation between Cooperation among colleagues and performance of female managers (N=34) Correlation r Correlation between . 286 cooperation among colleagues nd performance of female managers ____________________________________________________________ ____________ p=0. 101 Table 8 shows that the hypothesis assuming that there is a relationship between cooperation among colleagues and performance of female managers is accepted as there is non-significant relationship between these two. Results indicate a weak relationship between cooperation among colleagues a nd performance of female managers. Results also show that only 8% of job performance of female managers is affected by cooperation among colleagues. Effect of stereotyping on performance of female managers Table 9 Correlation between stereotyping and performance of female managers (N=34) Correlation r Correlation between . 117 stereotyping and performance of female managers ____________________________________________________________ ____________ p=0. 510 Table 9 shows that the hypothesis assuming that there is a relationship between stereotyping and performance of female managers is rejected as there is non-significant relationship between these two. Results indicate a weak relationship between stereotyping and performance of female managers. Results also show that only 1% of job performance of female managers is affected by stereotyping. DISCUSSION The purpose of this study was to see the level of cooperation among colleagues and the gender stereotyping in private organizations and then to determine the impact of these two on the performance of female managers in the private organizations. The statistical analysis of the data acquired from the filled questionnaires revealed that both male and female managers at the low and middle level of organization think that there exists a friendly atmosphere among male and female colleagues at work place. They help each other in time of need and in performing work related tasks. Though both male and female agree that cooperation does exist but the interesting finding is that male employees perceive that there is cooperation among colleagues more then female employees do. Another interesting finding is that male employees think that a woman’s place is in home and they are not suited for work outside of the home. According to their point of view traditional husband/wife roles are the best and that it is the job of women to manage the home and men to go out to work. Also, they think that women lack the skills and abilities needed at work. This finding is supported by a study conducted by Schein (2007) who found that on international level, the view of women as less likely than men to possess requisite management characteristics is a commonly held belief among male management students in the USA, the UK, Germany, China and Japan. However, female employees do not think that women lack the managerial skills and that they are not suited for work outside the home. Female employees think that compared to male managers, female managers must continually prove themselves in order to be taken seriously and get promoted. Whereas male managers think that male and female managers are treated equally and in the same fashion as those of male managers. These results are supported by (Jeavons & Sevastos, 2002) who found out that the existence of a strong glass ceiling effect prevents women to progress in the organizations. The researchers also showed that women were employed by the organization at a level that was lower than their qualifications, or lower than men doing the same job It was hypothesized that if the cooperation among colleagues is increased then the performance of female managers will be enhanced. The study results show that there exist a relationship between cooperation among colleagues and the performance of female managers. So the study results show that if the cooperation among colleagues is increased there will be an improvement in the performance of female managers. This finding is also proved by a previous study conducted by (Okanlawon, 1994) that glass ceiling affects the performance of women at managerial posts and a friendly atmosphere among male and female colleagues contributes in the better and improved performance of female managers. Another hypothesis that was formulated was that the reduction in gender stereotyping will result in an improved performance of female managers. This hypothesis has been proved wrong. The study shows that there is a very weak relationship between stereotyping and the performance of female managers. Also these two are weakly correlated in a positive way. The conclusion drawn is that in the private organizations of Pakistan, female employees do not bother about what male think of females as managers. Female managers do not feel discouraged due to stereotyping. Their work activities, abilities and morale is not affected by the stereotyping of male colleagues. CONCLUSION The study aimed at finding either male and female colleagues in organizations cooperate with each other and either gender stereotyping exists among male and female managers. The findings show that both male and female employees at managerial posts of private organizations agree that cooperation does exist but the degree of agreement is higher in male then in female managers. The study was also aimed to see if there exist a relationship between cooperation among colleagues and job performance of female managers. A moderate relationship does exist between cooperation and female managers’ job performance. Hence if the level of comfort and cooperation among male and female colleagues at work is enhanced, female managers’ performance will improve. It is evident from the findings of the study that female managers’ performance is not affected by the gender stereotyping of their male peers. RECOMMENDATIONS Since it has been found that a friendly atmosphere among male and female employees at workplace plays a vital role in the better performance of female managers, the private organizations in Pakistan should figure out ways and make policies to make sure that female employees feel at ease with their male peers and both male and female employees work together and coordinate with each other in order to enhance employees’ performance. LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH The generalizability of the results of this study is low since a non-probability sampling technique was used due to lack of time and resources. The sample size is also very small (n=34) which is not suitable for such kind of research. For future research, work which look more directly at these issues taking a larger sample size will be encouraged. Also it is required to see that though gender stereotyping is not affecting the performance of female managers but it is probable that gender stereotyping that is being found in Pakistani organization might be affecting the hiring or/and promotion criterion of female managers. REFERENCES Virginia E. Schein (2007). Women in management: reflections and projections. Women in Management Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 6-18. Camilla Veale, & Jeff Gold (1998). Smashing into the glass ceiling for women managers. Journal of Management Development, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 17-26. Author, Howard Tokunaga & Tracy Graham (1997). 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