Anthropology interview

My uncle is the oldest son in his family. His name is Long Do and he is forty years old. He is a businessman and he owns the liquor store. Mr.. Long is a successful person in the family that everyone in the family admires him. He was born in Vietnam so he is Vietnamese. Mr.. Long came to America when he was twenty-one years old. His major was Business Administration and he went to De Anza College. He came to Northern California with his family and his siblings. HIS family and he was the first one that came to the United State.The reason they came here because they didn't want to live in Vietnam because the life over there was hard and deficient of all necessities. My uncle's father who is my grand father had to work for extremely hard and got poorly paid. His parents, my grandparents, decided to come here so that my uncle and his siblings could have a better life, better education to archive their goals easier. According to what my uncle said, † It was a difficult and tough tim e when I first come here. I didn't know any English and It was very hard for me to communicate with other people.Also he shared that he had to help his parents take care all the paperwork and take after his younger siblings since his siblings were very young back then. So he was the only one who was mature and knowledgeable enough to take care of the whole family. I can see that language is his first challenge that he has to overcome. Mr.. Long said that when they first come here they TLD have a lot of money so that everyone In the family had to work to make money. Mr.. Long had to work two Jobs and he had to go school at the same time. He started out with SSL class iris, then English class later on.He shared that it was a hard time when he first attended to college because at that time he didn't know any English and going to school was something that made him really scared of. He always nervous in his classes because he didn't understand what his teacher were saying and he totally lost In the class. At night, when he got home he always turned on the radio to listen to FM or AM, he tried to listen how American people talked and he learned from there. His parents and his siblings also had to go to the SSL classes as well because hey didn't know how to speak English at that time.He shared his tip to learn English that you should make friend with native speakers because you can learn very fast. His advice is also similar to what I did when I first came to America. I tried to make friend with native speaker so that I could learn English faster and it was really help me to Improve my English skill. HIS family and he also had to learn how to adapt to is freedom. Everyone has his or her own freedom in religion or politics. As time passed by, he gradually learned English very fast and he could speak and monomaniac with his teachers and friends in his classes more fluently.He says that the more difficulties that you go through in your life the more you become a stronge r and a better person and you will be successful in your life. They still keep in touch with people from Vietnam by phone and they go to Vietnam whenever they have a chance because they are now very busy with work. He said that he like talking to people from different ethic groups because he can learn new things from them. Even he used to suffer a hard time, he says that his life wouldn't be like this if his Emily and he stay in Vietnam.So being here is a better off for his family. They can earn money and help his relatives in Vietnam. The global process economic and politics have planed out in his family life. It was a wonderful time interviewing my uncle. I can see that he is a very successful man due mostly to his hardworking characteristics. I want to be like him and I have learned that there is nothing easy in life so I have to try hard in order to be successful like my uncle. The more you try the better off you will get later in your life.

The Contemporary Society

Contemporary society is continually informed of advances in technology, be they in biology, agriculture, education, or nearly any other discipline or aspect of life. It appears technology is directly or indirectly linked to all recent progress. Certainly, many of the daily activities in which humans engage (reading a newspaper, making coffee, commuting to work, etc. ) require technological devices. With the apparently increased reliance on and development of technology, it seems prudent to consider the consequences inherent in the use and evolution of it. More specifically, one must examine the extent to which humans–the creators of technology, will become redundant in a society in which machines and the tasks they perform are incapable of being extracted from daily routines. As with nearly all issues, the development of technology is advocated by many while it is strongly opposed by others. Regarding the former, one must not search far for arguments favoring technological progress. Proponents, particularly those favoring medical advances, eagerly enumerate the positive outcomes of technological breakthroughs. Some claim a society in which its members are born free of debilitating conditions or cured of them throughout the life span must certainly be a better civilization, or at least a more humane one. In addition, technological efforts to render crops more plentiful, nutritious, and resistant to pests is proclaimed a constructive step towards moral justice, not to mention efficient use of resources. Few deny the moral obligation of providing third world nations the skills and tools to produce food. On a more superficial yet paradoxically significant level, the conveniences made possible by technology are also cause for celebration. That they free humans of otherwise labor intensive tasks and allow many to enjoy other more ‘worthwhile' endeavors, such as leisure activities, is beyond question. In fact, without many currently employed machines, humans would not be able to engage in such a wide variety of daily pursuits. Considering the individual, societal, and global advantages available through technological advances, it is not surprising many favor its continued development. Without ignoring or denying many of the mentioned benefits of technology, it is nonetheless possible to persuasively argue that its unbridled expansion can and is eliminating the need for many human activities and purposes. Ironically, while technology may solve some of humanity's ills (for example, relieving humans from tedious and laborious tasks), by doing such at an alarming pace it is also creating unanticipated and insistent problems. Consider the economic consequences of increased technological use. This trend, although allowing for undeniably greater productivity and reduced costs, gives rise to a potent social issue: mass unemployment. On a nearly daily basis one is informed of human redundancy; business is steadily replacing its human workforce with one derived from technology. It is common knowledge that in many industries, machines are adequate and oftentimes better substitutes for humans. Moreover, as machinery becomes more ubiquitous in the workplace, ‘the role of humans as the most important factor of production is bound to diminish in the same way that the role of horses in agricultural production was first diminished and then eliminated by the introduction of tractors' (Rifkin 283). The replacement of human workers with machines is not limited to a few companies or industries; it is found throughout a nation's business network. More than 75 percent of the labor force in most industrial nations engage in work that is little more than simple repetitive tasks' (Rifkin 283). Such jobs are particularly susceptible to ‘machine takeovers'. In fact, ‘automated machinery, robots, and increasingly sophisticated computers can perform many, if not most, of these jobs' (Rifkin 283). However, the unskilled labor force, particularly that in the manufacturing sector, is not the only one vulnerable to redundancy. As companies restructure their operations to include more computers and high-tech machinery, middle management positions are concurrently declining (Rifkin 284). In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal reiterates this phenomenon by claiming that ‘most of the cuts are facilitated, in one way or another, by new software programs, better computer networks and more powerful hardware that allow companies to do more with fewer workers' (Rifkin 282).

How Does Media Coverage of Barack Obama Differ in the US and the UK Essay

The purpose of this paper is the discuss political media coverage of US President Barack Obama.   The discussion will focus on differences in media coverage in the US and the UK and will assess which media group provide more critical coverage of Barack Obama.   The first section examines US coverage, it’s drivers, and results. The second section examines UK coverage, it’s drivers, relationship to and influence from US media and it’s results.   The final section analyzes the level and method of critical coverage and concludes that both US and UK media are equally critical in coverage of Barack Obama, but by different method and for different purposes. US Coverage In the US, political media coverage is driven and influenced by the elite party leaders of both Democrats and Republicans.   What is unique in the 2008 presidential campaigns, elections, and now presidential administration coverage is that both parties have similar agendas which range from right to center meaning generally conservative in position. This conservative right wing agenda has virtually eliminated left or liberal positions from US media coverage.   Even when reputable opinion polls show strong support of liberal issues such as nationalized health care, the US media fails to reflect those opinions in their coverage.   The result is that the American public may be pictured as more conservative than it really is. Generally the Democratic party is associated with left wing and liberal ideals while the Republican party is associated with right wing and conservative ideals.   That being the case, US media coverage should have indicated and been characterized by stronger support for John McCain, the Republican nominee, during the 2008 election cycle.   That, however, was not the case. US political coverage of Barack Obama has not been all positive.   During the 2008 campaigns there was an equal amount of negative and positive coverage.   What was unique in this election cycle was the amount of coverage focused on Barack Obama.   Barack Obama received greater focus both in the US and international media coverage. This saturation affect neutralized the effect of either positive or negative coverage.   The saturation effect changed the primary campaign question from should John McCain or Barack Obama become president, to assuming that Barack Obama is going to become the next US president, is that good or bad.   Even in the days following the election, inauguration, and opening days of the Obama administration the focus and question still remains the same, is Obama and his policies good or bad.   UK Coverage One critical difference between US and UK media that has driven the level of coverage of Obama, particularly during the campaign, is political advertising is banned in the UK whereas it a staple of political media coverage in the US.   In the US the advertising industry is deeply involved in, and in a driving force in political media coverage, however in the UK the newspaper industry, by legal design, is more involved and influential in political media coverage. The newspaper industry in the UK is drastically different from outlets in other parts of Europe and the US.   While television and radio are the first lines of information, UK newspapers are more influential in coverage due to massive nationalized circulation, and strong and varied political affiliations which drive the content and level of political coverage.   Newspapers are, therefore, the core of political information and opinion, and other media outlets base their coverage on what appears in newspapers first. The 2008 US presidential election received a high level of coverage in UK media outlets.   UK journalists have been focused on Barack Obama’s platform of change as much as US media has and have presented him in a positive light as an agent of change.   The positive UK media coverage of Obama’s change platform has led UK media to focus on and build David Cameron, the Conservative Party leader, as the UK counterpart to Barack Obama. This is problematic for the Labor Party and Prime Minister Gordon Brown who had been all but written off by media late in 2008.   UK newspapers are likened to US talk radio.   The general tone and tenor of attack propaganda that is displayed in US talk radio can be read in UK newspapers.   UK press is opinionated and expressive in the way that talk radio hosts are in the US.   This is especially important since, according to Nicholas Jones, more than 66% of readers of UK newspapers, through websites,   are outside of the UK and overwhelmingly in the US. UK newspapers will begin to focus on coverage that appeals to American and other outside readers. Who is More Critical The US media is clearly more critical than UK media.   UK media is at least as critical as US media given its driving influence in UK media coverage of American politics, the 2008 US presidential elections, and the opening days of the Obama administration.   What is important in assessing the differences in US and UK coverage of Barack Obama is the goal and purpose of coverage.   The US media seeks to define US public opinion through it’s presentation of public opinion. The UK media seeks to meet a growing demand of an international niche market of American readership which has been defined as conservative and right wing by it’s own media sources.   UK media also seeks to further it’s own political agenda by drawing comparisons to Obama by supporting and presenting UK leaders as either agents of change or by ignoring them in the way that US media virtually ignored Obama’s rivals. Conclusion The US media has presented public opinion as conservative and right leaning.   However political coverage and focus on Barack Obama was never consistent with this public opinion image.   With equal amounts of negative and positive coverage, Barack Obama alone was the focus of most media coverage in the US and abroad.   US media failed to focus on the differences in two candidates and engaged in debate over whether the one candidate was essentially good or bad. American readership is a fast growing segment of UK media circulation and drives the type and style of political coverage in UK media outlets.   As a result, UK media followed suit of US media in focusing on Barack Obama in terms of the pros and cons of Obama instead of focusing on alternatives that the rival candidate presented to Obama’s platform of change even to the extent of seeking a comparable change agent in the UK political environment to build as the UK equivalent to the US agent for change.    References Jones, N. US-style attack advertising is on its way to the UK via Britain’s highly-politicised press. Nicholas Jones archive and blog. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www.nicholasjones.org.uk/index. php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71& Itemid=4 Kumar, D. A New Era?: The 2008 US Elections, Public Opinion, and the Mass Media. Fifth-Estate-Online. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from http://www.fifth-estate-online.co.uk/c omment/commentkumar.html

Single-sex education and coeducation Research Proposal

Single-sex education and coeducation - Research Proposal Example While some researchers have stressed on the advantages and significance of single-sex education as the single most tool of enhancing the educational experience of the students and securing their long term prospects, yet others have vehemently opposed the same, categorizing such a system as essentially reintroducing gender barriers and providing differing treatment to students on the basis of their gender. This paper focuses on the both these aspects from a broad perspective and explores the vast amount of literature available to arrive at a logical conclusion. Although, with respect to any given educational setting, learning outcomes are a consequence of an interplay of various factors – such as, social, emotional, psychological, physical and intellectual and can hardly be construed as resulting from a single variable. The educational policy of the schools, composition of subjects taught, family background of the students etc work collaboratively towards enhancing the student’s overall performance. The present decade has witnessed the resurfacing of the single-sex educational system, which is largely attributed to the transformation in the educational reform policies, and most of all to the rising cynicism about the credibility of co-educational systems with respect to its ability to offer an unbiased learning environment to the students and its approach towards the treatment of issues concerning gender bias. The arguments in favor of and against a particular type of educational system which has helped shaped our perspectives, although wide in number, are more or less, ambiguous both in terms of nature and content, and hence inconclusive. The success or failure of a single-sex education or co-education is dependent on various factors such as the objectives and mission of the institutions, indicators of success used to analyze the phenomenon, historical perspectives, financial constraints, availability of resources etc. among others. Given the fact that all

The nature of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The nature of evil - Essay Example Both Isadora and my creditors, I should add, who entered into a conspiracy, a trap, a scheme so cunning that my only choices were prison or marriage, which for a man of my temperament, worse than imprisonment—especially if you knew Isadora.†(1) One evil influence leads to the other. Evil sets off a chain-reaction. Rutherford Calhoun candidly admits, â€Å"But arriving in the city, checking the saloons and Negro bars, I found nothing. So I stole—it came as second nature to me.†(2-3) It goes to substantiate that no one is born with evil tendencies. One inherits them due to the circumstances one is compelled to encounter. When a man or woman is neglected and when obstructions are created by the society in the efforts for reformation and rehabilitation, one turns cynical. Helping one to build a new identity is an arduous process that has both economic and spiritual perspectives. Reeling out moral lessons and spiritual revelations will not help an individual fro m the downward march to destruction. Calhoun is exposed to religious disciplines. He admits, â€Å"My Master, Reverend Peleg Chandler†¦..he endlessly preached Old Testament virtues to me†¦.the evils of nominalism†¦.†(3) But the desired change in the personality of Calhoun is not forthcoming as the impact of the evil influences is strong and nobility fails to beat it. Both nobility (good) and evil forces are inherent in a man; they are the pairs of opposites and to strike the proper balance is the issue related to life. No one is permanently good or permanently bad. The process of becoming, to a great extent, depends on how one is raised and later on lives life. The childhood creates the structure for the adulthood and for the entire course of life. In case of Calhoun, the childhood is bad and he has to undergo bitter experiences of deceit from all ends and at that stage of life he has no one to hold on. So, hatred for the society is welling up from deep within and he has no choices to challenge them. Hatred is ugly and dark and it goes hand in hand with all sorts of evil. Bitter experiences in life one after another, go to solidify the state of evil in the heart of Calhoun. But no one is inherently evil. Evil is just the coating, and often the coating is thick. On a number of occasions, evil deeds are a mechanism of self-defense. When faced with danger, human beings mostly exhibit a â€Å"fight or flight,† response. Try to escape or defend aggressively. Calhoun precisely does the same. The ship in which he is employed according to Calhoun is â€Å"a process of life.†(36) The ship is the metaphor for the various stages and experiences of life. He faces the twin dangers, one from the woman and the other from his creditors, for which he has no immediate solutions, he avails the option of escape from the evil forces that are pursuing him. Unquestionably the slavery in the 19th century American society was an evil practice of the worst order and it owed responsibility for the creation of a combustible generation of blacks. Its impact has not been eradicated even with the present generation. The author does not think that evil is inherent in man, woman or evil originates in greed, misunderstanding/competition in segregation. Evil is integrated and it sets off a chain reaction through all these segments of society/factors. They are all interrelated and no factor

Colima and Maya's Cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Colima and Maya's Cultures - Essay Example A vessel in form of a dog that considered being an exemplar of Colima culture and vessel with palace scene that determines a Maua culture are fallen under analysis. What should be mentioned is that these works of art have a lot in common, still cultural specialties are visible.  Colima culture or co-called Capacha refers to the territory of West Mexico and â€Å"dated there to the early to middle Formative period† that is 200 BCE-300 AD (Evans and Webster, 95). Death was regarded as a transfer to another world, and burials have attracted special attention in ancient times. â€Å"Ancient West Mexicans used a unique shaft-chamber tomb, an underground series of rooms reached by a narrow, vertical opening, or shaft† (IMA, n.p.). Such vessels have been surrounded the deceased and have put there with a special aim. Dogs have remained to be servants as guides to assist the dead person in his/her trip to the underworld (IMA, n.p.).   In addition, dogs are considered to be a source of food for Colima people that is why such vessel has been of great significance according to the beliefs of that population. The vessel has a dark brown color and rather and size a really small dog. The example of Maya culture belongs to the Late Classic Period in the existence of discussed culture, more exactly 600-900 AD (Foster, 17). â€Å"The culture reaches its artistic zenith† in those times (Foster, 18). That is why the vessel with palace scene is regarded as an important example of Maya culture. This is considered to a vessel for a drink with a painting scene showing â€Å"a ruler sitting on a throne, wearing a jade necklace and a headdress with exotic feathers† (IMA, n.p.). Such vessels also have buried with the people they belong to, usually that have been rich residents of those territories. The vessel is in the different tones of brown and beige color with the size of normal pot or mug.

MS Project and Critical Path Analysis (1 Day Training Program for Essay

MS Project and Critical Path Analysis (1 Day Training Program for Level 6 UG Students) - Essay Example The report outlines the training content and other resources as per initial requirements communicated by Mr. Smart. The program specifically focuses on using MS Project and CPA in Project Management Methodology. Project Management Ltd. (PML) has been invited to prepare the project management plan for Big Idea Ltd. The project is a one day training program on ‘project management and the use of MS Project and Critical Path Analysis (CPA)’ for level 6 undergraduate students. The project plan, including costing, marketing and controlling will need to be incorporated in the report. Big Ideas Ltd. has approached us to prepare the plan for the one day training program and requires us to be associated on it throughout the project life cycle, from doing the feasibility study to completion of the project. Although, the company has started the feasibility study for the project, it requires PML to start from this stage of the project. The project is a one day training program aimed at level 6 undergraduate students of all universities. It is intended to teach the students the importance and use of MS Project and the Critical Path Analysis (CPA) in Project Management. As students are set to enter the professional world after college, their knowledge and skills at Project Management tools and techniques would be handy in carrying out their day-to-day management and reporting activities easily. Defining project requirements Big Ideas Ltd. expects the consulting team from PML to carry out the following tasks: a. Define the team’s approach to developing the plan using the Project Life Cycle; b. Develop a scope statement; c. Outline the main themes for the training day, with a brief statement of each presentation; d. Develop a work breakdown structure and explain it; e. Include a suitable team structures for each phase of the project; f. Estimate time and cost durations of activities both before and on the day; g. Construct a Gantt chart to determine the base line cost and duration of the project and analyse it; h. Provide a process for monitoring and controlling the project; i. Construct an outline project risk register; j. Conduct a Stakeholder Analysis of the project; and k. Provide a recommendation. Definition of project management Firstly, we define what project management is and its scope. â€Å"Project management is concerned with the overall planning and co-ordination of a project from conception to completion aimed at meeting the stated requirements and ensuring completion on time, within cost and to required quality standards. It is normally reserved for focused, non-repetitive, time-limited activities with some degree of risk and that are beyond the usual scope of operational activities for which the organization is responsible.† (Project Management (1.7 ProjectManagement.pdf), 2012). Project management includes the managing of resources, time, schedule and performance and costs of a project.

Nursing - Professional Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing - Professional Portfolio - Essay Example I am currently enrolled in the MSN program with expected date of graduation on 2012. After that, focus will be given on attaining Nursing Informatics competency. I have been working with the EMR for over 16 years in the emergency department where the EMR was first piloted. I am knowledgeable of the EMR and have strong supervision skills needed to execute or revamp EMR. (3) To change and develop the current electronic medical record at San Mateo County Medical Center. I received an Associate Degree in Nursing/Bachelors in Liberal Arts in 1990 at Indiana University North West and am currently enrolled in MSN program with expected date of graduation on 2012. I have professional affiliations with Dorothy L. and James D. Frank of the Diabetes Research Institute as an Associate Clinical Research Coordinator (2008-2010). Focus includes Diabetes nutritional counseling, glucose clamp studies, running YSI glucose analyzer, electronic (CGM) continued glucose monitor management, recruitment, scr eening, and secure informed consent following GCP guidelines, and track protocol deviation, adverse events, and drug accountability. We also maintain regulatory documents for IRB and maintain related records according to GCP and FDA guidelines. In addition, I work at San Mateo County Medical Center for over 16 years in the emergency department where the EMR was first piloted. I have the skills needed in a research undertaking, is knowledgeable of the EMR and the setting as I work in the hospital itself. INVOLVEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION I am affiliated in the following organizations stated below and these serve well for my past and present nursing focuses. Professional Organization General Information Nurses Association-California (ANA/C) The... The professional development I continuously aim for has created an impact both on my professional and personal life. Being a nurse always creates an opportunity for learning, educating others, and helping people. It made me feel happy and proud as a nurse when every time I care, I made significant impact on patient’s lives. I would like also to contribute to the professional development of my co-nurses by creating an effective new nurse orientation program. In this way, I would like to create an orientation program that could impact nurses on providing safe, nonthreatening learning environments where nurses can succeed. Reorganizing the entire orientation programs will create strong and safe nurses and will intend to decrease nursing shortages in facilities while being cost effective.The professional development I had and I will take in the future encouraged me to strongly develop compassion and empathy for patients. I would like to be remembered as a nurse who conveys compass ion and empathy to patients at all times, despite having personal issues, physical exhaustion, or hectic schedule – a nurse whose compassion can be showed even in a simple gesture, a light touch, a smile, or by giving a simple moment of my time to listen.

Brand Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Brand Implementation - Essay Example It is a process for constant and reliable application of the brand image among major of the leading business units, media and communication channels. However, it does not encompass the design and creation of brand identity. Industry Background and the Competitors EAT was founded in the year1996, with the determination of delivering best quality food, coffee and soup in London at rational price. Presently, more than 100 shops all over London are offering handmade food every day. According to the statistics of the year 2011, the organization is having market share of 76%. The CAGR is +27%. It mainly offers soups, sandwiches, pies, salads, wraps, sushi, desserts, cold drinks, juices, coffees etc. Mark &Spencer, Pret a manager, Costa, Starbucks are the main competitors of the company. The sales growth for the year 2011 is more than 13%, whereas the outlet volume growth is more than 11%. The founder of the company is Faith MacArthur and Niall MacArthur. According to them, EAT is a family owned organization dedicated to provide quality food. People of London can also get the home delivery option from the registered company website. Few simple steps will help to bring the food in home within a small period of time. Challenges and Opportunities In order to determine EAT’s challenges and opportunities, SWOT analysis can be framed below. The SWOT analysis will help EAT to make a better brand positioning for the company. This strategic framework will help to reveal EAT’s internal strengths, weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. SWOT Analysis Strengths The food quality is superior. Homemade fresh food used to offer every day by the organization. More than 100 shops are situated in London. The price of the food is also rational. The sales growth is more than 13%. The volume growth is 11%. They used to provide home delivery for every individual customer. The organization has become popular among the local customers. Market share is more than 76%. T he CAGR rate is also more than 27% Experience is more than 10 years. Weaknesses The outlets are only London based. CSR reports are not included. Lower range of products has failed to increase customer base. The space area is very limited within the outlets. New and menu sections in the company website are not accessible. Cost of production is very high. Relevant information is very nominal for the company. Inadequate packaging quality. Opportunities Expansion of business footprint across the country. Traditional food items can increase the brand awareness of people. Promoting food menu and price range in social media networks. Cost-effective business operation strategy may result profit maximization. The organization can introduce healthy food items as the demand for healthy foods is increasing. Need to tie-up with hospitals, trains and several domestic and international airways. Designing new logo and slogan. Online promotional activities will increase the brand awareness. Threats Big competitors like Sainsbury, Tesco, and Marks & Spenser’s will pose a big threat to the company. As it is a sensitive industry, the organization may face several legal barriers. Huge capital required in order to expand business. Economic downfall and low disposable income of people. People are tending to avoid outside foods due to the food safety factors. One unsatisfied

3 Element's The Need for Affordable Healthcare is Now Essay

3 Element's The Need for Affordable Healthcare is Now - Essay Example The above statement is adequate for the audiences as well as the readers because it informs them of the perceived benefits. It makes them paint a picture of what they are likely to encounter with the implementation of the policy. â€Å"Businesses and corporations that offer benefits packages to their employees spend a large portion of their budget to ensure that in case of a medical emergency, their families and themselves are covered through private insurance companies." "in 2011, a report predicted that by 2014, 30% of health insurance benefits packages were going stop being offered due to the increasing awareness and accessibility to alternate care packages like ObamaCare." "In a 2001 survey, 46.2% filed bankruptcies were directly related to medical problems. Since then, the number has risen to 62 percent of filed bankruptcies in 2009, where over 90 percent of medical debtors were at least $5000 in medical debt or 10% of their family income before taxes". The writer has used evidences to support the thesis statement by giving out figures. Similarly, the figures show the statistics that the policy will have positive effects on the employees as well as employers. Generally, the content o the essay was up to the task because it fulfilled its purpose, had a clear thesis statement, which was supported by evidence. Through all these, the reader is convinced of the content as well as the reliability of the

Recommendation and advice for sher holder in companies Research Paper

Recommendation and advice for sher holder in companies - Research Paper Example Following the same pattern, the dividend yield has also shown sign of improvement. Evaluating the financial outlook of Morrisons from investor’s point of view, it would be most prudent to invest in it, and the current shareholders of the company should hold their investment in the company as it promises to reap more benefits in the future. The fact that the investors should further invest or hold their investments in Morrisons is advocated by the fact that the company offered notable dividend of 8.20 per share. The dividend offered by the company during the current financial year is almost 41% higher than the one offered in the prior year. Selling stakes in Morrisons at this point of time when the company is offering attractive dividends to its shareholder, would be reckless and not at advisable. As quite obvious from the gearing ratio of the company, the operations are now more driven by the capital raised through issuance of share in the capital market, rather than acquiring financings from institutions. This shows that the investors have confidence in the company and are ready to bear the risk. The prospective and current investors should also analyze that the company is making the best use of its capital which is represented by the inclining return on equity (ROE) and return on capital employed (ROCE).

Integration of Aristotles Four Causes and Ego Psychology Essay Example for Free

Integration of Aristotles Four Causes and Ego Psychology Essay Ego Psychology Theory is based on Freud’s structure of mind model of identity, ego, and superego elaborated in more detail. Individuals have different ego controlling between primitive drives and realities. Individuals always deal with identities, drives and egos. However, if one has good control with ego, they can express their desire, drives and morals in realistic and socially appropriate ways. If failed, one confronts difficulties such as conflict with inner self and loss of mature interpersonal relationship. However, throughout lifetime, individuals change their feelings and behaviors to better fit their needs or minimize their conflict between primitive drives and realities. The material cause for ego psychology is identity and ego. Individuals are born with primitive drives, sexual desires, and egos which enable to organize their identity, drives and synthesize judgment, defined as decisions toward another in feelings, or to be aware of drives that affects feelings in accord with reality. In other words, ego can give a right direction for or control identity drives, whether it is satisfied or not in light of reality. The formal cause of ego psychology is ego development which is follows by means of the individuals needs, e. g. , affiliation with others, learning, etc. Hartmann says that we must develop â€Å"autonomous ego-development† (Hartmann, 1958, p, 101). The ego must be understood in relation with the individuals needs and drives, traits, expectations, and values. According to Hartmann, peoples defense mechanism develop their ego. Hartmann pointed out that â€Å"the defense processes may simultaneously serve both the control of instinctual drive and adaptation to the external world. † (Hartmann, 1958, p. 51) The efficient cause is adaptation â€Å"reality mastering† and a reciprocated relationship between an individual and his or her environment. The outcome of successful adaptation implies â€Å"fitting together† (Hartmann 1958, p, 36). If individuals overcome their conflicts, they are lead to their functions which are more or less closely related to the perceive reality. Therefore, successful adaptation embeds an individual in an environment. Also, it solves conflict among individual needs, capacities, and their environments due to the complicated tendencies of defensive egos. In early stages the ego is focused on differentiating itself from others and on affirming its separate existence though expression of drives. Later, the individuals begin to learn rules of conduct to follow in order to avoid group criticism (Martin,1981). The impact of interpersonal and environmental factors is thought to be crucial to the evolution of mature ego functions during the lifelong developmental process. The final cause of ego psychology is to find better adaptation and sustain ego function with regard to individual needs to adapt to their environments, drives, traits, and expectations. Other manifestations of social functioning problems and self regulation and control of drives affect other peoples perceptions is central to the development of an individuals behaviors and are appropriate in certain circumstances. People, because of their inevitable and requisite relationship with the world, are subject to change their attitudes, behaviors, and even their egos in order to cope with the changes and demands of other people around them and in the group they belong in. References Irving M. Rosen. (1968) Ego psychology of the adult years.Journal of Religion and Health, Volume 7, Number 3 PDF (243. 6 KB) Retrieved May 2, 2008, from SpringerLink database. Hartmann, Heinz. (1958) Ego psychology and the problem of adaptation. New York, NY: International Universities Press. Martin A, James. (2000) Ego psychology notes. Retrieved Apr. 2, 2008, from http://www. brynmawr. edu/Acads/GSSW/jam/switr/991415. htm Martin, Grotjahn. (1981) The therapeutic group process in the light of developmental ego Psychology. Group, Volume 5. Retrieved May 2, 2008, from SpringerLink database.

Ontological or Epistemological Organisational Structure

Ontological or Epistemological Organisational Structure Organizations Structure: Modern / Symbolic and Post- Modern perspectives There are many different ways at looking at organizations, with each way producing a different insight, knowledge, and perspective. Depending on the ontological as well epistemological assumptions, different theories and perspectives may seem to apply better. The essay will focus on the similarities and differences between the theories through the models of social structure in an organization. From the philosophical ontological point of view, the modernist sees the material and social world as consisting of structures that exist, regardless of individual awareness. For example, the hierarchy of an organization is regarded as a social fact even if people are not aware of it. â€Å"Organizations †¦ should work like machines, using people, resources, as their parts. With the key design of building â€Å"the best† machines to keep organizations productive.† (Han van Diest. 2008) As such, the modernist approach to an organization can be considered as a well designed, structured entity. Operating organizational success is considered to be the result of well-organized systems that keep people / machines busy and costs under control. (Han van Diest. 2008) On the other end of the spectrum, the postmodernist would argue that the social world external to individual support is made up of nothing more than mere names, concepts and labels which are then used to form a structured reality. (Burrell and Morgan 1979) Supporters of the postmodernist argue that organizations are ‘imagined entities. â€Å"A core idea in postmodernism is that we are always making sense of our omniscient reality through a pair of imaginative glasses glasses based on such factors as our present desire in a given situation, our past experiences, our values and culture, our understanding of what is real, and so forth. It is never possible to take the glasses off altogether and view the world impartially.† (Inkeles A. 1983.) Taking a more balanced stand in the spectrum, a symbolic interpretive perception would be that social reality is created through communicative interaction between groups of people. Social reality is not a reality or set of facts existing prior to human activity. We create our social world through our language, symbols and behavioral actions. (Steven R Corman, Marshall Scott Poole 2000) As expressive forms representative of human consciousness, organizations are understood and analyzed not mainly in economic or material terms but in terms of their expressive ideas and symbolism. (Smircich 1983: 347-8). (Hatch, Mary J. and Cunliffe, Ann L., 2006) Structure of an Organization: While defining an organization from nuts and bolts point of view such as objects, buildings and elements, one of the key aims of a modernist perspective is to measure the organizational social structure to find out how to improve and contrive the ideal organization. (Hatch, Mary J. and Cunliffe, Ann L., 2006) Through research and past studies of various organizations, it was found that there is a strong relationship between the internal/external environment and the social structure of an organization in both a cross-tabulated or correlated way. Influences may include the size or bureaucratic structure of the organization. (Lex Donaldson 2001). The organizational environment has a direct effect on organizational structure, such that unstable environment produce an organic structure system that can react and adapt more quickly, while in the opposite scenario, produces a mechanistic system. The better the match, the higher the effectiveness of the organization. (e.g., Burns Stalker, 1961; Pennings,1975). (Shmuel Ellis, Tamar Almor, Oded Shenkar 2002) The modernist also views the organization through its social structuration. As routines, habits and rules are developed through the mutual interaction and influences between the workers and organization, a structural system is created, re-created and mediated within the organizationa. Realizing that the agency and its structures are both conditions and outcomes of the actions of human action, social relations and practices within the organization (Cohen, 1989, Giddens, 1984), social structure is therefore viewed not a â€Å"dead† entity, but a social construction created and maintained by social practices. (Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks 2009) Again, although the organization structure provides the setting, in which workers fulfill and complete their daily task, the relationship between them, is not cast in stone, as employees remain as knowledgeable, responsive workers who have the ability to choose their own behaviors and thus either continuing or modifying the organization through their actions and behavior. It is also important to note that the modernists view on social structure comprises three mutually supportive dualities of structures and agency (workers), namely signification, domination, and legitimation. Although these three are inseparable in practice (Giddens, 1979, 1984), (Giddens, 1979, 1984), they may be analyzed separately. Structures of signification are institutionalized interpretive schemes that allocate meaning to peoples actions, such as beliefs, and language. Structures of legitimation are organization norms, constituted in the tacitly understood moral and social obligations (Clegg, 1989). Structures of domination are the institutionalized acquisition of power (Giddens, 1984). This can be in the form of, resources domination involving the structured distribution of material resources, such as products, services including right of access and deployment of such resources, as well as institutionalized authority relationships. (Giddens, 1984; Whittington, 1992) By concentrating on the discontinuities and changing patterns of behavior and relationships of an organization, one cannot help but question and probe deeper on the relationship between agency and structure. (Giddens 1979; Reed 1997). (Paula Jarzabkowski 2008) It can therefore also be said that formal structures have symbolic as well as action producing attributes. Structures can become injected with socially shared meanings, and thus, apart to their functional roles, can serve to share and bring information about the organization both internally and externally. A symbolic interpretation can therefore help provide a new and different perspective into the causes and consequences of structure within an organization. (Tolbert and Zucker, 1996, p. 177). (Van de Ven, Andrew H.; Dooley, Kevin; Holmes, Michael E. 2004) The symbolic interpretive perceives that the emergence of the organization social structure needs to include social interaction and human consciousness through social practices, routines and community interaction. Through the build up of ideas, knowledge and actions of people, a routine is birth and rebirth in response to new experiences observed. (Levitt and March, 1988) Routines may include organizational rules, roles, conventions, strategies, structures, cultural practices and capabilities. (Martin Schulz 2002) It is therefore incorrect to think of organizations as only departments or system units. Interpersonal correspondence is the crux of any organization as it creates structures and foundations which can then affect what needs to be done, who to do it and what to do after that. (Robert Lawrence Heath, Jennings Bryant 2000) Organizations are adaptable to their environments in ways such as creating jobs for specific occasions, purposes or people and evaluating and deciding to continue or discontinue the job, based on the new requirement and knowledge acquired. (Miner (1987, 1991). (Martin Schulz 2002) The Symbolic interpretive views the social structure of an organization through the process of knowledge transference within the organization. (Davenport and Prusak, 1996; Choo, 1998) Knowledge, symbolism and best-practice transfers within and between organizations is not a one-sided activity, but an ongoing process of sharing, involving trial and error, feedback, and the mutual adjustment of both the sender and receiver of knowledge. (Szulanski, 1996; Powell, 1998; Kaeser, 2001). (Georg von Krogh 2003) It is also viewed that the chief feature of human organization is the use of language and symbolism (including the attribution of meaning to things and making sense of the world). (Robert Cooper 1989) From the Symbolic interpretive perspective, language such as the use of words, shared vocabulary, the way workers speak about their organization, use of â€Å"slangs† and jargons can also be used to define the social structure within the organization. Such groups of people, â€Å"Communities of practice†, bond together due to similar passion for their skills and knowledge, and through regular interaction in order, develop a tacit understanding and meaning with one another, thus enhancing the social structure within an organization. (Etienne Wenger, Richard Arnold Mcdermott, William Snyder, 2002) The foundational perspectives of postmodernism are that the individuals in the organization do not have an independent consciousness but needs inter-communication with others to develop an identity. Meanings are not given prior to communication but arise from it and are context-dependent; meanings, structure and language are considered temporary due to the ever-changing environment and developments. (Bart Nooteboom, 1992) Where modern organizations favour bureaucratic structures that emphasis on roles, rules and procedures, postmodern organizations prefers a more democratic approach and views that are informal and based on mutual agreement. Comparing to modern organizations that favour separation of functions and departments, postmodern organizations favour de-differentiation of those elements. This allows the creation of multi-skilled worker that can break traditional structural boundaries and inflexible work processes. (Steve May, Dennis K. Mumby 2004) The social structure of an organization is viewed simply as a reflection of the built commitment of individuals to help develop a set of â€Å"rules† for the organization in order to survive in the ever changing postmodern era. (Jim Barry, 2000) Drawing much from the philosophies of language of (the later) Wittgenstein (1976) and de Saussure (1979), in Postmodernism, communication rather than consciousness is viewed as the backbone of knowledge, and hence the philosophy of language occupies a central position. Words are not longer interpreted as names of objects or properties (meanings, concepts) that are given prior to language unlike in the Symbolic interpretive perspective. (Bart Nooteboom, 1992) Language reveals the organizational reality by showing that it is a process that involuntarily includes its internal differences and conflicts. The social structure of the organization is always in disarray caused by threats and internal fighting. Organizations should therefore be viewed appropriately based on sense, intellect and logical context. This is very much unlike the modern thinking of the notion of an organization stability. (Robert Cooper 1989) However, despite the difference of â€Å"language† opinions, postmodernists still follow the fundamental social structure similar to that of the symbolic interpretive in that interaction between people does not arise from a fixed structural identity, but is formed through interaction between people. In the words of Lyotard: The self by itself does not amount to much, but it is not isolated. It is taken up in a tissue of relations which is more complex and mobile than ever. It always finds itself in a nexus in communication circuits, however small.(1979, p. 59, authors translation). (Bart Nooteboom, 1992) In conclusion, although the three perspectives differ in their interpretation and views on the dimension of an organizational structure, it can be agreed that all perspectives recognize the importance of the social structure of an organization as the key building block that forms the organization. Blau (1977: 1) â€Å"The study of social structure centres attention on the distribution of people among different positions and their social associations. Through the study of structural effects of the various perspectives, we are able to understand the spirit, character and characteristics of social structure within an organization, as well as the effects and outcomes it carries by looking at factors such as formal organization chart, differentiated positions within the structure, relationships among task-relevant roles, languages games used, differentiation, inter-communication, etc. Thus having a good understanding of the different perspectives and applying a mixture of different â€Å"theories† in the right context and environment will help to strengthen the organization as a whole and provide a better picture of what an organization is and why things are happening the way they are. Reference: Andrew H, Dooley, Holmes, Kevin, Michael E, Van de Ven, ‘Handbook of Organizational Change and Innovation Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2004. p 179. Bart Nooteboom, ‘A Postmodern Philosophy of Markets, Int. Studies of Mgt. Org., Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 53-76 M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 1992 Dennis K. Mumby, Steve May, 2004, ‘Engaging Organizational Communication Theory Research. Etienne Wenger, Richard Arnold Mcdermott, William Snyder, 2002, ‘A Guide to management knowledge: Cultivating Communities of Practice Georg von Krogh, 2003, ‘Knowledge Sharing and the Communal Resource Han van Diest, 2008, ‘Possibilities of Democratisation in Organisations. Social Epistemology Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 97-117 Hatch, Mary J. and Cunliffe, Ann L., 2006, ‘Organization Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press: Oxford Inkeles A. ‘Exploring Individual Modernity. New York: Columbia University Press, 1983 Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks ‘Journal of Sociology Social Welfare, March 2009, Volume XXXVI, Number 1 Jennings Bryant, Robert Lawrence Heath, 2000, ‘Human Communication Theory and Research. Jim Barry, 2000, ‘Organizations and Management. Lex Donaldson, 2001, ‘The Contingency Theory of Organizations Martin Schulz, 2002, ‘Organizational Learning Oded Shenkar, Shmuel Ellis, Tamar Almor, 2002, ‘Structural Contingency Revisited: Toward a Dynamic System Model Paula Jarzabkowski, 2008, ‘Shaping strategy as a Structuration Process Robert Cooper, ‘Modernism, Post Modernism and Organizational Analysis 3: The Contribution of Jacques Derrida Steven R Corman, Marshall Scott Poole, 2000, ‘Perspectives on Organization Communication

The Changing Role Of The Management Accountant Commerce Essay

The Changing Role Of The Management Accountant Commerce Essay Charles Darwin the famous scientist who introduced the theory of natural selection said In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment. He used this theory to explain the extinction of the dinosaurs from the earth. I believe this theory in fact is not confined to species. It is a universal truth which is applicable to so many phenomena we see in our day to day lives. One such illustration is the transformation of finance function. The enormous change the corporate world underwent over the last few decades has inevitably pressurized the finance function to adapt to its operating environment. As a result, today the finance function is in the fore-front of decision making positioning itself as a business partner for the organization as opposed to a conventional support function. It is in this context that every organization today should embark on the journey of transforming its finance function to adapt to the challenges of the modern business environment. It is needless to exaggerate the changes this brings about in the role of the management accountant. However being humans it is natural for us to resist such change. What we should remember nevertheless is that if we fail to adapt to these changes, our destiny would not be different to that of dinosaurs. This reinforces the argument that tomorrows successful management accountants will be the ones who not only understand the need importance of finance transformation but also who take proactive measures to bring about effective change and eventually manage such change to ensure sustainability of the business. 2. Finance Transformation 2.1 How it has changed? Accounting Finance function over the centuries has evolved significantly from the basic double entry bookkeeping the revolutionary concept which started it all. Today we live in a world where global companies exist and the finance function like so many other things in human life has transformed itself to cater the ever increasing demands of modern day businesses. Let it be financial reporting, treasury management, budgeting or any other area in finance for that matter, there is visible transformation. For instance, bottom-line in financial jargon, only meant financial profitability until recently. But today organizations strive for a triple bottom-line which is way beyond the boundaries of financial profitability. A recent research conducted by CIMAs centre of excellence at the University of Bath concluded the following changes (see Figure 1) as the most frequent changes faced by businesses. Figure 1: Key changes faced by the Finance Function in the last decade Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.12 As per the above research data, an overwhelming majority of 96.4% has confirmed that there had been at least one change in their finance function for the period in concern. However the degree, to which these changes have been popular, may extremely vary with Cost reduction being the forerunner with a popularity of 59% while Outsourcing of non-routine tasks was confined to a mediocre 5.5%. The same study later classifies these changes to four broad types and also pinpoints two main motives behind these changes namely Cost efficiency and Value creation (See Table 2). Table 2: Classification of Changes Faced by the Finance Function Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.12 Cost Efficiency motive is where a business is keen to improve its output by using its resources more efficiently. On the other hand Value creation involves performing tasks in better ways whilst eliminating non-value adding activities such that the organization creates value in terms of profitability. It is clear from the data (See Figure 1) that it is the Cost Efficiency based changes which were more prominent in businesses during the last decade. As the research suggests, Cost Reduction and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) appear logical steps for organizations as they grow. The economies of scale, firms are expected to achieve with its size, rationalize such change. Further the world economic crisis stemmed in 2007 prolongs to date would also have significantly influenced finance managers to run their businesses on tighter budgets and thus focus on efficiency based transformation. Although cost efficiency measures, up to now, have had the upper hand in finance transformation, it is expected that the value based changes would take precedence in times to come, as finance functions embark on the journey to achieve the visionary value creator status. 2.2 Why has it changed? So far we discussed how the finance function has evolved over the years. Let us now examine the underlying drivers which caused this dramatic change. This inevitably leads us to look at the changes that occurred in the environment in which businesses operate. One thing that surely comes to my mind is globalization. I believe this concept single handedly revolutionized the way people engaged in business. For instance virtual organizations such as Dell and online market places such as e-bay have not only been highly successful, but also have challenged the future viability of traditional business models. However globalization is only one among many drivers of change as per CIMAs recent research findings on finance transformation. In fact it ranks well below the likes of increased competition technological advancement which grabbed the top two spots in terms of popularity (See Figure 3). Figure 3: Drivers of organizational change ranked in terms of popularity Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.15 Increased risk and uncertainty and External reporting requirements achieved 3rd and 4th places respectively with market development coming next. It is important to mention the part played by the collapses of big corporate giants such as Enron, Worldcom and subsequent changes it created in the finance function especially in terms of risk assessment models and stringent reporting guidelines. The report further highlights some of the differences that exist within different business sectors. For example, demographics are as twice as popular driver in public sector compared to the private sector in which competition market dynamics are more prevalent. In financial services industry risk uncertainty is hailed above all drivers of change. All these drivers subsequently created pressure on the tradition finance function and new finance control models evolved to suit the new playing field. 3. The changing role of the management accountant in todays environment 3.1 The way forward So far we analyzed the nature of finance transformation and its underlying causes. It is now high time to look at the evolving role of tomorrows management accountant. Having acted as a steward for decades, today the finance professionals are increasingly pressurized to be a navigator or a business partner in performing his/her duties. With reference to the previously mentioned study done by CIMA, it is evident that Business partnering is clearly emerging as a way forward for finance transformation. Table 4: Business Partnering in finance function Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.11. In its research report, Finance transformation business partnering, CIMA Centre for Excellence defines business partnering as a behavior which involves members of the finance function acting as close advisors or internal consultants in greater collaboration and cross-functional working with others in the organization, so they can understand the business better, and provide the advice and support that is needed.  [1]   The idea here is, for finance members to actively participate in the decision making process and take collective ownership of the decision as opposed to being passive advisors. However in order to do so, the finance professionals not only need to posses technical knowledge in finance IT, they should also be equipped with extensive industry knowledge business acumen. In addition to that, the need for enhanced interaction across all the levels in the organization would mean that the management accountants need to master necessary communication and interpersonal skills. Further the traditional barriers that exist between departments would also need to be relaxed so that effective inter-functional associations are enabled. Erik ter Horst, Vice President Finance, CFO EMEA and Latin America, BT, offering insights to CIMAs survey adds for me, finance can only be functional if the finance function is a part of the whole organization  [2]  . However one might also argue that this may compensate the level of independence exercised by finance and hence affect the objectivity of its decisions. While acknowledging the possibility, Morten Sorensen, Finance Director Central Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, SSP, believes that the potential risk to the objectivity of finance function will be outweighed by the additional value generated at the end of the day it comes down to the integrity and professionalism of the individual.  [3]   3.2 Finance transformation and the role of the Management Accountant at Bodyline 3.2.1 Background: Bodyline Private Limited, a joint venture between MAST Industries, Triumph International MAS Holdings, is one of the largest lingerie sportswear manufactures in Sri Lanka with a workforce of around 6000 employees and an annual capacity of around 15 million pieces of bras. The company caters to some of the worlds most glamorous brands including Victoria Secret, Nike, Marks Spencer and Lane Bryant. Over the last couple of years Bodyline has synergized its multi product customer portfolio to its competitive advantage whilst investing on technologies such as bonding, 3D hemming and ultrasonic welding. However the company is constantly facing stiff competition from low cost manufacturers in Asian countries such as Bangladsh Vietnam, and as a result recently underwent drastic changes in its business model which in turn caused the finance function to transform accordingly. 3.2.2 Finance Transformation at Bodyline Table 5: Changes faced by the finance function at Bodyline Finance Function Change Example Type of Change Motive for Change 1 Greater emphasis on cost reduction Projects to curb major cost overrun areas. E.g. Overtime Tracking Mechanism Cost Reduction Cost Efficiency 2 Increased outsourcing of routine tasks Outsourcing of VAT Returns Process to a 3rd party BPR 3 Increased Use of Shared Service Centers for routine tasks Setting up a common commercial department in collaboration with MAS Intimates group 4 Increased work on product pricing Developments of Pre Post Order Profitability functions on SAP Product Focus Value Creation 5 Cross functional teams Formation of customer teams comprising of representatives of different departments including finance Focus on internal processes 6 Greater emphasis on poor performance within the organization Facilitating greater depth in Performance Management. (Catering to Business, Departmental Individual levels) 7 Increased external benchmarking of the whole organization Risk assessments and external benchmarking activities leading to sound business decisions being taken Source: Primary data collected from Bodyline The above diagram depicts functional changes experienced by Bodyline Finance and it could be directly compared with Table 2 in page 3. (CIMAs original model) 3.2.2.1 Cross Functional Teams:  A drastic structural change was introduced few months back where cross functional teams (representing virtually all the departments) were formulated to uniquely cater each customer. A business analyst was appointed to each team to represent finance and he/she adheres to a dual reporting structure where the individual reports to the Head of Finance as well as to the Head of the respective customer account. Each customer team sits together in a separate area within the factory so that interaction between the members is enhanced. However the transformation involved significant cultural change. People had to be convinced that the previous structure that had been adopted for the past 15 years was not the right way forward.   Members of finance worked very closely with the new leadership to change the internal structures reporting lines to logical cross functional business teams to support customer expectations. The management accountants involved in articulating the methodology of performance management systems including Key Performance Indicators as well as devising segmental reporting of customer bottom lines coupled with policy control deployment. This helped the people to understand the big picture and most importantly, where do they fit in to the new structure. The increased level of transparency helped us create a healthy competition among customer teams which in turn contributed to break the resistance to change whilst aggressively driving towards the achievement of business objectives. 3.2.2.2 Greater emphasis on poor performance: Performance management initiatives across many departments layers are being introduced with the direct involvement of finance which provides design to delivery solutions. For instance, the incentive scheme for sewing operators was changed to an efficiency based group incentive mechanism from an individual performance based incentive system, with finance department functioning as the project champion. This is one fine example where Bodylines finance function operated as a true business partner coming out of its comfort zones, co-operating with the other relevant departments and executing the project to perfection. It is noteworthy to mention that whilst executing this project, complex human dynamics of 6,500 people and the cost implications of providing incentives to all of them were considered. A series of information sessions had to be conducted to manage the knowledge transfer requirement in terms of the new system. Nevertheless a sign ificant increment in factory efficiency was noticed within the first month of project implementation. In order to facilitate such advance business requirements, the finance function was strengthened with people having dual backgrounds. In other words, apart from hardcore finance graduates, Bodylines finance team comprises of several apparel engineering graduates from the University of Moratuwa who are also qualified in CIMA. It is this unique resource combination that has enabled Bodylines finance team to successfully strive for excellence amidst numerous challenges. 3.2.2.3 Risk Analysis: The members of the finance department are also engaged in analysis assessment of risks facing the company, developing projections based on such risks to draw the attention of the management on high risk areas. For example early identification of the risks of Western economic recession, paved the way for the company to take immediate actions and thereby mitigate the impact of these adverse events at least to a certain extent. 3.2.2.4 Cost Reduction: As a follow up action plan to Budget Monitoring, the finance team in collaboration with other departments initiated 4 major projects to cut down companys overhead cost. These are namely Implementation of overtime cost tracking controlling mechanism A project to control transport expenditure A project to control courier charges A project to control stationary cost A project leader is appointed from Finance for each project and this individual is solely responsible for delivering the objectives of the project. The leader is expected to collaborate with relevant departments, device an action plan, follow up action points and present the progress at the next months budget monitoring session. Significant cost reductions were observed in each area with the inception of these projects. On the other hand, these projects offer a great opportunity for the budding management accountants to move out their comfort zones, actively involve in cross cultural teams, learn and become business partners who actively participate in achieving the companys strategic objectives.  Ã‚   3.2.2.5 Increased work on product pricing: To enhance the visibility of financial information at the Sales Order level, a project was initiated by finance with the collaboration of IT to develop SAP (the companys ERP system) based modules which calculates the expected profitability of a Sales order in the system itself. This process currently happens on spread sheets off the ERP system and as a result lot of information is duplicated and resources are wasted. The second phase of this project involves linking purchase order authorization procedure to sales order profitability so that an effective control on at the point of material purchases can be exercised. Yet again this is a challenging project which requires the individual to move out of the comfort zones of an accountant and work with System users/IT specialists and to gather system requirements and thereby ensure effective system development is achieved later. 4. Conclusion Modern day businesses experience change at a dramatic rate and whichever the ones that do not adapt quickly, would be gone before long. Being part of that business, the finance function can never isolate itself so should get accustomed to change. If the finance function has to change, that indirectly means the management accountants should expect their roles to frequently change in future. In fact it is the management accountants who are expected to manage the process of finance transformation. As their roles evolve, tomorrows management accountants will be expected to learn new skills (more often out of their comfort zones) work with cross functional teams and ultimately act as business partners who take responsibility for the collective decisions. Although we all tend to resist change initially, we also might feel it is after all not so bad. It certainly brings opportunities provided we take it in the right spirit we may end up being better off. The story of finance transformation at Bodyline is certainly of that type. Transforming was never an easy journey and it still is not. However as a team the finance function moved forward with positive attitude and as a result in the process has achieved so many milestones. As I conclude, the fundamental point I wish to bring up is that the finance transformation is inevitable. Irrespective of whether we like it or not its here to stay. However it is our decision either to embrace the change like a lizard which quickly changes its color to suit the environment and thereby survive through successful camouflaging or else ignore the change just like the dinosaur and simply extinct.

What did King Tut Represent to the Egyptians? :: ancient Egypt cuture and beliefs

King Tut wasn’t a famous pharaoh but he did have mighty power.have you ever wondered what King Tut ment to the egyptians. I know I sure do. What's interesting about this question is there’s many many theories but there is only one true answer. Many people don't know who King Tut was, why he has his own tomb or even is King Tut still a major part in Egyptian history. ("King Tut Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013). King Tut the12th king of the 18th egyptian dynasty, he had the power from 1361 b.c.e to 1352 b.c.e. During his reign powerful advisers restored the traditional egyptian religion which had been set to the side by his foreigner Akhenaten who had led the â€Å"Amama Revolution.† After his death at age 18 he went missing from history until the discovery of his tomb in 1922. King tut was a weak child who ached from a cleft palate and club foot.He began ruling at the age of 9 due to the death of his father at the age of 5. His brother had already died and he was heir to the throne. He died at the age of 18 due to an infection in the leg. He was known as â€Å"The Boy King† because he became king at a young age.After he died, King Tut was mummified according to Egyptian religious tradition, which held that royal bodies should be preserved and provisioned for the afterlife. (Tutankhamun: The Boy Pharaoh." About.com egyptian History. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.) The infection turned into gangrene which at the end killed king tut. He’s known as â€Å"the boy king† because he was crowned at a young age.king tut was born in Akhetaten. before he was king(when he was prince) he was known as Tutankhaten. Taking the throne his name was Nebkheperure. King Tut didn’t expand Egypt’s borders or enjoy triumphant victories like many pharaohs that came before him.The birth name of Tutankhamun was Tutankhaten, which meant â€Å"Living Image of the Aten.† His father, which remains a mystery, is believed to be Akhenaten, although some evidence points to Amenhotep III.(Tutankhamun." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.) After he died, King Tut was mummified according to Egyptian religious tradition. The royal bodies have to be preserved and provisioned for the afterlife. So they put them into tombs.He had his own tomb because in their afterlife after they are mummified according to Egyptian religious beliefs and traditions.

Golgi Complex :: essays research papers

The Golgi complex's structure is made up of many flattened membranes sacs that are surrounded by tubules or vesicles. These are called the cisternae. The golgi complex accepts vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum and modifies them for usage in the cell. The golgi complex is used to distribute materials which help form the cell membranes. They also assemble the membranous material by producing glycolipids and glycoproteins. The golgi complexes also hand their vesicles materials for secretion. The golgi complex could not do its job without the help of vesicles. Vesicles bring and send the organelle its materials. Attributes:  § 1.0  µm in diameter  § Flattened sacks  § Takes materials from the Endoplasmic Reticulum Functions:  § Packages materials  § Readies products for export from the cell  § These products are then transfered to other organelles or out of the cell Description: Want me an example? Have you ever made a sandwich for lunch and sealed it inside a plastic bag? That's what happens inside the Golgi complex. Important materials that the cell needs to grow and repair itself are packaged in the membrane material made inside the Golgi complex and then shipped to the parts of the cell where they are needed. The Golgi Complex (or Golgi Apparatus, or Golgi Body) is a cytoplasmic structure composed of multiple cisternae (pools of solution surounded by membranes) arranged to look like a stack of pancakes hovering over the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). The Golgi Complex can be subdivided into three principal parts - cis, medial, and trans - based on proximity to the ER. The cis- and trans- Golgi stacks look discontinuous and irregular as vesicles are constantly joining and leaving, so they are usually referred to as the cis Golgi network (CGN) and trans Golgi network (TGN), respectively. The medial Golgi can have any number of cisternae, which are referred to collectively as the medial stacks. The function of the Golgi Complex is to modify proteins and then target them to specific sites in the cell. As proteins are being made through the translation of mRNA on Ribosomes, they are identified by amino acid "tags" which tell the cell where the protein belongs. Many proteins have a signal peptide which tells the cell to insert the protein directly into the ER during translation. Proteins which enter the ER are modified in several ways, including the addition of large glycosides (branched sugars) to specific amino acid side chains (Asparagines). After processing in the ER is done, the proteins are shuttled to the CGN via small vesicles.

Example of a perception paragraph Essay

I am discussing the wealth inequality about hos its being distributed. Distribution of wealth is one of the main problems we have in our society, and it depends on the outcome of people in the environment. I am looking at the perception, status, charity and imperialism of how the world is and can be. First, I will discuss status and Imperialism. Imperialism, as defined by the dictionary of geography, is ‘an unequal human and territorial relationship, usually in the form of an empire, based on ideas of superiority and practices of dominance, and involving the extension of authority and control of one state or people over another. The people in power have unlimited authority because they have all the money they control the less privileged ones with less money. The perception of people about the environment on wealth distribution is one of the problems that deprives the community from improving. Charity is the practice of benevolent giving and caring. It is desirable that the earth should be peopled, governed, and developed, as far as possible, by the races which can do this work best. This are the people in high status that can make the community a better place. The focus of my paper is to discuss about how wealth should be distributed. There is no real answer to should wealth be evenly distributed or distributed according to class and status?. I picked this topic because of my experience have had with wealth in my family. I personally believe wealth should be evenly distributed. If it is evenly distributed, everybody is going to have equal opportunity in life.

Case Study and Implementing Diversity Policies

Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles A guide for ITEC and other engineering businesses who want to benefit from employing a diverse workforce Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles A guide for ITEC and other engineering businesses who want to benefit from employing a diverse workforce Christina Evans, Judith Glover, Yvonne Guerrier and Cornelia Wilson School of Business and Social Sciences Roehampton University 80 Roehampton Lane London SW15 5SL Tel: +44 (0)20 8392 3000 www. roehampton. ac. uk For correspondence about this report please email mailto: c. [email  protected] ac. uk September 2007  © The Royal Academy of Engineering ISBN: 1-903496-37-3 Content Foreword Acknowledgements List of figures Executive summary 1. Introduction 1. 1 Why the need for a set of Guiding Principles for embedding diversity in the ITEC sector 1. 2 How the Guiding Principles have been derived 1. 3 Summary of the Guiding Principles 1. 4 Schema of the Guiding Principles Sugge stions on how organisations might use these Guiding Principles Guiding Principles 3. 1 Vision and leadership 3. 2 Well-defined business case 3. Company wide policies to mainstream diversity 3. 4 Education, training and knowledge building 3. 5 Supportive work practices and organisational culture 3. 6 Open and transparent recruitment and career development practices 3. 7 Partnering with external bodies 3. 8 Targeted outreach and widening the recruitment net 3. 9 Management of suppliers 3. 10 Monitor, improve and celebrate success 3. 11 Matrix of key supporting organisational case studies Conclusions Resources to help with your diversity journey Notes 3 4 5 6 9 9 10 11 12 14 2. 3. 15 15 20 23 29 36 40 45 49 53 56 60 62 63 66 . 5. 6. Appendices I. List of acronyms 68 2 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles Foreword I am delighted to welcome this new report – Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles – funded by The R oyal Academy of Engineering and produced in partnership with Equalitec. Equalitec, funded in part by the European Social Fund, under the Equal Programme, is a broad-ranging partnership of organisations committed to promoting and supporting women’s advancement in Information Technology, Electronics and Computing (ITEC).ITEC is a key driver of change in the global knowledge economy and a key contributor to the productivity and competitiveness of the European economy. But growth is being affected in some areas by a shortage of skilled ITEC workers. To meet the continuing growth in ITEC we need to encourage more individuals with diverse backgrounds and skills, particularly women, to consider a career in ITEC and ITEC related businesses.It is now well recognised that there are many business and social benefits from encouraging greater diversity within the workplace. Yet women are currently under-represented in the ITEC sector, especially in more senior roles. This report provides some practical guidelines on how to build an organisational culture where women and others from diverse backgrounds with business critical ITEC skills are encouraged to participate and reach their full potential. It contains many examples of good practice drawn from a range of ITEC employers.I would encourage you to use this report with a range of people in your organisation to help stimulate debate and change polices and practices to encourage greater diversity. Dr Rosalie Zobel Director Directorate G/Components and Systems Information Society and Media Directorate General European Commission The Royal Academy of Engineering 3 Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the many organisations and individuals that have made this report possible.In particular we would like to thank The Royal Academy of Engineering for sponsoring the project; Professor Wendy Hall, CBE FREng, Senior Vice President of The Royal Academy of Engineering, for chairing each of the Equalitec Diversity Fo rums; Dr Elizabeth Pollitzer, Director, Equalitec, for the initial inspiration for this report, as well as her continuing support, and all of the Equalitec partners and other participating organisations that have contributed to the ideas and case examples contained within this report.A list of Equalitec partners and contributing organisations can be found on the back cover of this report. 4 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles List of figuresFigure 1 Summary of the Guiding Principles Figure 2 Schema of the Guiding Principles Figure 3 Diversity – Balanced Business Scorecard Figure 4 Development options to help managers manage a flexible workforce Figure 5 Recruitment strategies to assist entry and re-entry of women into ITEC Figure 6 Equalitec Career Model (reproduced with permission from Portia Ltd) Figure 7 REC – Diversity Pledge for Recruiters (reproduced with permission from REC) Figure 8 Intellect’s Women in IT Forum Survey – ‘Perceptions of Equal Pay’ (reproduced with permission from Intellect) 11 12 20 31 40 41 54 57The Royal Academy of Engineering 5 Executive summary This report draws together key learning from earlier Equalitec Diversity Forums and reports, as well as other research on implementing diversity, in the form of ten Guiding Principles that can be applied in organisations that want to build a more diverse workforce. It is intended to act as a practical guide for managers and diversity practitioners in Information Technology, Electronics and Computing (ITEC) businesses, and other organisations. ITEC is now a major driver of change in many businesses, particularly in the service sector.But a shortage of skilled workers is making it difficult for some firms to compete successfully in the global economy. Despite this skills shortage, fewer than one in five ITEC professionals and managers are women and the number of women employed in ITEC is declining in most industrialised countries. With organisations chasing fewer and fewer skilled workers, there is a strong business case for increasing the proportion of women in ITEC. Within the UK it has been estimated that removing barriers to women’s employment and increasing their labour market participation could be worth between ? 5 billion and ? 23 billion. This is equivalent to 1. 3 – 2. 0% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the Women and Work Commission’s report – Shaping a Fairer Future [1]. Yet many ITEC companies find it difficult to attract and retain women. One reason may be that IT continues to have a macho male image that can put women off. In addition many women and young girls are not aware of the diverse roles on offer in the ITEC sector and so do not see a match between their career aspirations and what is on offer.Building a diverse workforce is not easy. It requires on-going commitment from senior leaders to bring about cultural change, un derpinned by investment to develop a cohesive set of employment policies and practices. Furthermore, a concern raised at the November 2006 Equalitec Diversity Forum [2] is that the growing trend of global sourcing in IT is affecting the diversity and inclusion agenda in the UK. Where organisations can easily ‘buy in’ labour from other countries there is less of a business imperative to invest in growing its own workforce.So why does this matter? Is diversity, particularly gender diversity, more difficult to achieve in the ITEC sector? Wider research suggests that women in Science, Engineering and Technology workplaces face difficulties over and above those experienced by women in other occupations, as these workplaces have traditionally been male dominated [3]. Industry commentators also acknowledge that the sector does create additional pressures for employees something that can make it more difficult for women and others with caring responsibilities.First, there is of ten a need to deliver projects to specific deadlines, involving working long hours. Second, individuals need to spend significant amounts of time keeping abreast of the latest developments in the field and maintaining their skill levels; for women with caring responsibilities this can be especially problematic as updating of skills is costly and time consuming. Many women working in ITEC are concerned that maternity leave and career breaks accelerate skills obsolescence.Although funding is allocated to training graduates (new entrants) this is generally not the case for women returners [4]. In addition women, and indeed men, who choose to work part-time often find their commitment questioned. 6 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles Whilst the equality duties (race, disability and gender) have created a ‘burning platform for change’ in public sector organisations, this same burning platform does not currently apply to privat e sector companies.But changes in the public sector tendering process, to ensure compliance with the general duties, are beginning to influence practice in private sector companies who bid for public sector contracts; this change forms a key component of the business case for some private sector companies as this set of Guiding Principles shows. Equalitec, originally supported by funding from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and latterly the European Social Fund (ESF), was established to promote and support women’s employment in ITEC.Over the six years that Equalitec has been running it has worked with over 50 organisations to help build and disseminate good practice for employing and retaining women in ITEC. The Guiding Principles covered within this report, and listed below, are supported with many examples of good practice drawn from a range of ITEC employers. Many of these employers are working in partnership with Equalitec. Adopting the good practices containe d within this report will help build workplaces that benefit all workers, not just women.Guiding Principles for embedding diversity in ITEC and other related businesses 1 Vision and leadership 2 Well defined business case 3 Company wide policies to mainstream diversity 4 Education, training and knowledge building 5 Supportive work practices and organisational culture 6 Transparent recruitment and career development practices 7 Partnering with external bodies 8 Targeted outreach and widening the recruitment net 9 Management of suppliers 10 Monitor, improve and share success Recommendations for taking these Guiding Principles forward Business leaders  ¦ Use this Guiding Principles report creatively to help raise debates and develop policies and practices in your own organisation. Some initial suggestions on how to do this can be found later on in the report. A key policy to review is your career and succession planning, making these more open and transparent. This will help address the needs of individuals at different life-stages and with different needs and aspirations, thus encouraging them to join your organisation. Revisit data monitoring policies and practices to find ways of enabling greater availability and transparency of data. Where firms are reticent about making specific data public they could perhaps share techniques of data gathering.This would help the measurement of progress both within and between organisations and help establish industry-wide benchmarks, against which broader change could be measured, particularly in relation to the gender pay gap.  ¦ The Royal Academy of Engineering 7  ¦ Consider partnering with a range of educational and professional bodies to ensure that the skills needed to work in the sector meet changing employers’ needs. One possible way of achieving this is to work in partnership with HE institutions, professional bodies, and other employers, to create an ITEC Academy, something similar to the Power Academy recently established to address the shortage of skilled power engineers. This would help continue the excellent work started by Equalitec.Equalitec partners have found the Equalitec brand, underpinned by the European Social Fund and support from the DTI, has created a legitimacy for the various activities that they are engaged in to bring about change. Without a similar body going forward there is a concern that change will not happen at the pace that is needed. Central government and other policy makers  ¦ Provide more resources for educational institutions as well as the careers service to promote the diverse career opportunities available within ITEC.  ¦ Review policies to help women returners, especially occupational returners (i. e. returners to the industry after an extended career break), who are an under-utilised pool of talent.A key policy area for change is education, where there is an opportunity to develop conversion courses for people with a degree in a discipline other than computer science, enabling them to take up an ITEC role. This would not only help women returners, but other people who may want to move into ITEC at a later stage in their career. e-skills UK: work more closely with businesses to develop skills frameworks and progression pathways for ITEC professionals working in different business sectors.  ¦ Professional bodies  ¦ Work closely with educational partners to change the general perception of the ITEC sector and encourage more people to seek employment in the sector. Encourage and assist ITEC employers to introduce and develop good employment development practices. This could be achieved by gathering data on the gender balance among members, promoting cultural change, and brokering learning networks. Develop the range and accessibility of professional development programmes, qualifications and networks, that address the development needs of women on maternity leave, as well as men and women who want to take a career bre ak. Apply these Guiding Principles within their own professions and organisations.  ¦  ¦ 8 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles 1. Introduction 1. 1 Why the need for a set of diversity guiding principles for ITEC organisations?In today’s global knowledge economy the innovative use of ITEC technologies is fundamental to business survival in an ever complex and competitive business world. The ITEC sector continues to be a growth sector. Ten percent of the GDP in the UK comes from the ITEC sector, according to Intellect, the Trade Association for the UK high-tech industry. Furthermore 34% of the worldwide GDP comes from the ICT market according to the Public Technology Association [5]. With this amount of investment and growth in ITEC it is not surprising that the demand for skilled ITEC workers is outstripping supply. This is the case in all businesses, not just amongst the major ITEC producers.Despite this increasing demand, the number of women employed in ITEC roles remains much lower than women’s participation in the workforce more generally and is declining in most industrialised countries. In the UK fewer than one in five ITEC professionals and managers are female and this figure is even lower in IT strategy and software development roles [11]. With 40% of business requirements being for skills at advanced levels, the gender imbalance in the IT workforce creates a continuing challenge for businesses according to Karen Price, CEO, e-skills [6]. What these figures indicate is evidence of horizontal and vertical segregation [8] in a sector that was optimistically viewed in the 1960s and 1970s as a golden era for women’s employment.As a relatively new sector it was anticipated that some of the traditional barriers experienced by women in the workplace would be removed, and that women would be able to participate on a more equal basis with men. Sadly the reality has not matched this optimis m. A concern voiced at one Equalitec Diversity Forum is that the growing trend of global outsourcing in IT is affecting the diversity and inclusion agenda [2] . Where organisations can easily ‘buy in’ labour from other countries, there is less of an imperative for firms to invest in developing its own workforce. However having IT systems developed and serviced by third parties does have skills implications for organisations’ internal workforce. In practical terms this means a growing need for IT literate staff who understand the business and know how to use IT to drive the business forward [7].With organisations struggling to attract and retain skilled knowledge workers, it does not make business sense to under-utilise diverse pools of talent, including women. Speaking at the November 2006 Equalitec Diversity Forum, Meg Munn MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Women and Equality) endorsed this view: â€Å"If the UK is to further develop and sustain a fle xible, highly skilled workforce – one that is able to cope with the twin challenges of globalisation and rapid demographic change – then we have to ensure that all our talented people are involved. † The Royal Academy of Engineering 9 Yet the reasons for the lack of participation of women in ITEC roles are complex.Sector image, as well as organisational culture, has a role to play here. ITEC work is still perceived as a place for ‘geeks’ and ‘anoraks’, working long hours and with little interaction with others. However as other Equalitec publications have shown this image does not reflect the reality of ITEC work, or the diversity of employment opportunities [8]. The changing nature of ITEC work, particularly as offshoring and outsourcing has become more commonplace, has led to an increased demand for ‘hybrid’ workers. These are workers who can demonstrate both technical and behavioural skills, such as team working, communic ation, relationship management, flexibility and innovation, and project management.Behavioural skills are viewed as those that women are able to contribute, drawing on these from their multiple roles inside and outside the workplace. But if businesses want to capitalise on these behavioural skills they need to find more creative ways of attracting and retaining women. 1. 2 How these Guiding Principles have been derived Working with a diversity agenda is challenging. There is no single simple solution. Organisations have to ensure a common understanding of diversity and the link with Equal Opportunities (EO). Whereas EO is concerned with difference at the social group level, diversity management is focused on individuals, with organisations striving to recruit and retain individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences [9].In addition, the diversity agenda is heavily contextualised: economic, political, legal and social forces each impact on business priorities and internal organ isational practices. Despite these broader forces there do seem to be a number of key practices that organisations can focus on if they want to mainstream diversity. Developing an organisational culture that is supportive of diversity and where women are encouraged to reach their full potential is not easy. The nature of some ITEC roles can make it difficult for women, and others with caring responsibilities, to combine their work and family lives. Yet as other Equalitec projects have identified, some organisations are actively trying to change their culture so that people from diverse backgrounds, and with diverse talents, feel included.These Guiding Principles draw together some of the good practices developed in a range of private and public sector organisations. They have been derived from categories drawn from various sources: Equalitec Diversity Forum reports; the DTI and Equalitec sponsored report – Successful Recruitment Strategies and Practices; Times Top 50 ‘W orkforce Diversity’ index; BCS Women in IT awards; Aurora’s ‘Where Women Want to Work’ awards; US National Academy of Engineering – Diversity in Engineering report, as well as the National School of Government’s Diversity Excellence model and the Civil Service diversity performance indicators. The supporting case examples are drawn largely from Equalitec publications.They have been tested out with Equalitec partners, and other organisations closely involved with Equalitec’s work, to ensure that they cover the key areas that ITEC and other organisations need to focus on to build a diverse workforce. 10 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles 1. 3 Summary of the Guiding Principles From the background sources outlined above we have identified 10 Guiding Principles. These are shown in Figure 1. 1 Vision and leadership: senior leaders demonstrate an on-going commitment to mainstreaming diversity by ensuring that the relevant policies, practices, metrics and action plans are in place. Ongoing commitment is also demonstrated through frequent and consistent communication, internally and externally, about the organisation’s achievements against its published action plans.Well defined business case: the diversity agenda forms an integral part of the strategic business planning agenda – not something that is a ‘nice to have’, perhaps especially for private sector firms that are bidding for contracts within the public sector. In the public sector the ’effectiveness argument’ i. e. ensuring the diversity of the workforce matches the diversity of service users, is perhaps more of a key driver. Company wide policies to mainstream diversity: overall diversity policy is supported by changes to other organisational policies e. g. recruitment, reward, flexible working and work-life-balance, performance management, career management and retention p olicies. Education, training and knowledge building: on-going commitment to education and training for all employees in order to change behaviours and develop organisational practices.Supportive work practices and organisational culture: a workplace that is open and welcoming of people from diverse backgrounds and which can demonstrate good examples of implementing different forms of flexible work arrangements. Transparent recruitment and career development practices: commitment to changing the recruitment and promotion practices so that women and others from diverse backgrounds are able to develop satisfying careers. Partnering with external bodies: relationships are developed with a range of partnering institutions to advance the diversity agenda, using this as a way of further developing internal knowledge and capabilities.Targeted outreach and widening of the recruitment net: resources (time, energy and money) are invested in developing awareness of the changing nature and oppor tunities within the ITEC sector and encouraging young girls and women of all ages to develop a career in ITEC. Management of suppliers: current and future suppliers understand the organisation’s diversity agenda and the organisation ensures that suppliers adapt their practices appropriately. Monitor, improve and celebrate success: demonstrates a commitment to gathering quantitative and qualitative data to monitor progress on the diversity journey, using this as a way of further refining policies and procedures. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Figure 1: Summary of the Guiding Principles The Royal Academy of Engineering 11 1. Schema of the Guiding Principles Mainstreaming diversity is not a simple linear process. There are a number of inter-related areas that require working on simultaneously. The schema in Figure 2 is intended to illustrate the dynamic relationship amongst the Guiding Principles defined earlier. Depending on the organisational context, change may be initiated from any one of these areas at a given point in time. In some organisations, for example, data on female attrition rates, or lack of diversity in the recruitment pipeline, may act as a catalyst for change. In others a change in leadership, such as the appointment of a new CEO, may act as the catalyst. At different times in the business life cycle organisations may eed to focus on developing policies and practices that have more of an internal focus and at other times they may need to work on policies and practices that have more of an external focus. Vision & leadership Well-defined business case Company wide policies to mainstream diversity Internal focus External focus Education, training & knowledge building Supportive work practices/ culture Open and transparent recruitment & career development practices Partnering with external bodies Targe ted ou treach & widening the recruitment net Management of suppliers Monitor, improve and celebrate success Figure 2: Schema of the Guiding Principles 1 2 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding PrinciplesWhat is clear from the background research carried out to produce this report is that implementing polices and practices to mainstream diversity is not easy, given the complexities that we are dealing with. Other reports on diversity have likened this to the complexities of the software engineering process itself, highlighted in the book The Mythical Man Month by Fred Brookes, formally of IBM: â€Å"There is no silver bullet, no magic potion that can fix things. Things only get fixed if you take the problem personally, and you want to make a difference. It is that simple. If you care enough about it to put your money where your mouth is, and you put somebody in a eadership position to do something about it, you can make a difference. † [10] It is not surprising therefore to find leadership at the top of these Guiding Principles. The Royal Academy of Engineering 13 2. Suggestions on how organ isations might use these Guiding Principles One of the key aims of Equalitec is to share and disseminate good practice in the employment and progression of women in ITEC. This report draws together much of the good practice gathered through Equalitec projects. Whilst many organisations have made great progress on increasing the representation of women in ITEC roles, most would agree that they still have more to do.It is hoped that this set of guiding principles will support change in organisations, thus helping to stem the current decline in the number of women in ITEC. Some suggested ways that organisations could use this report include:  ¦ Using this report in your diversity training programmes for line managers, helping to raise awareness of the issues and stimulate debate for change. The questions at the end of each section would provide a start point. Recognising that successful change involves a top-down and bottom-up approach, consider using specific sections of the report with different employee groups/forums to help stimulate a dialogue about change. You could perhaps start with the section ‘Monitor, improve and celebrate success’ with a group of senior managers.This could prompt a review of the diversity data that are currently available, as well as where the gaps are. Using the section on ‘Supportive work practices and organisational culture’ with different employee groups could generate further ideas for change. Making the report available to all staff as part of your e-learning resources. This could help those aspiring to leadership roles broaden their awareness of the diversity agenda. Using the report as a basis for reviewing existing policies and practices.  ¦  ¦  ¦ 14 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles 3. Guiding principles â€Å"having the genuine support of senior leaders sends a powerful message to the rest of the organisation that diversity matters. † 3. Vision and leadership Effective leadership is crucial in all culture change programmes and developing an organisational culture that embraces diversity is no exception. When testing out these guiding principles with experienced managers there was general consensus that vision and leadership needs to be the number one guiding principle. It needs to be number one for a very simple reason – having the genuine support of senior leaders sends a powerful message to the rest of the organisation that diversity matters. Without this, as many Equalitec partners will testify, diversity does not happen. So what type of leadership is required?  ¦ Leaders with a personal commitment to diversity Effective management of diversity requires ongoing commitment from the CEO and other senior leaders.This commitment can be demonstrated in many ways: setting a clear vision for diversity, linked to the business case; making sure that others understand the business case in the context of their organisations; modelling the behaviours needed to build a diverse workforce; making sure that the appropriate structure and polices are in place, as well as ensuring that all employees are aware of their responsibilities and where they fit into the diversity agenda: â€Å"Chuck Prince, who is our chairman, aims to make sure that we are not only the largest financial services organisation but also that we are the most respected. All of us, as employees, have to attest to our shared responsibilities.Those are our responsibilities to the organisations, the franchise through to our clients and also to each other, to make sure we recognise and respect diversity – which includes gender diversity. † Sharon Pagram, Recruitment Manager, Europe Middle East and Asia (EMEA), Citi [2]. Many organisations have introduced Diversity Councils as one of their supporting structures. These can help build insights and knowledge to support the change agenda. A case example of this from Sym antec appears at the end of this sub-section.  ¦ Leaders who demonstrate ‘mindset flexibility’ A key skill referred to time and time again is that of ‘mindset flexibility’, particularly amongst those in leadership roles: â€Å"I think there is something about having men with the right attitude.I don’t know quite how you articulate this, but it is to do with having a diversity of thinking and approach in the senior executive team. Having men who are different from each other and function well in a flexible remote culture. Men who encourage interaction at all levels and really believe that difference is a good thing. I really do believe that if you have a culture which encourages bright, creative individual men to stay at senior levels, women will benefit too. † Rebecca George, Partner, Deloitte [11]. Mindset flexibility is seen as being important to help rethink jobs and how best to resource these: The Royal Academy of Engineering 15 What you are looking for [when recruiting] is a set of outcomes and you try to be more flexible about the people who might be able to provide those outcomes for you. You’re much less prescriptive about the inputs. † Steve Palmer, London Borough of Hillingdon [12]. It is also important when considering flexible work options to ensure that all options are considered: â€Å"We have just gone through a reorganisation at Citigroup Technology Infrastructure (CTI) and we now have two very senior members who are direct reports to the head of EMEA for CTI †¦ One of these will be working remotely, using flexi-working as well as other means. She will be working from Scotland whilst playing a major role in the CTI organisation.She is working flexi-hours and she is working remotely and that has enabled her to take on a position of the size that she has. † Sharon Pagram, Recruitment Manager, EMEA, Citi [2]. HR and diversity practitioners in particular need to demonstrate effectiv e leadership by challenging line managers who are reluctant to try out different flexible work options.  ¦ Leaders who listen to and communicate openly with their staff Open and honest communication is crucial if employees from diverse backgrounds, and with diverse needs, are to feel fully included: â€Å"I believe that communication is very important †¦ ensuring that there are adequate team briefings, newsletters, bulletins and staff gatherings. There are one-to-one meetings, for example for all staff.I think that this mix ensures that there is the opportunity to accommodate individuals and that those for example who are on flexible working, or those who are part-time are kept fully informed and up-to-date just as much as the staff who are there full-time. † Angela Clements, Head of ICT and Business Development, West Dunbartonshire Council [2]. As the Microsoft example below indicates, senior leaders can send out a powerful message if they are personally involved in f inding out what women are looking for in the industry: â€Å"Simon Brown is the general manager for Developer and Partner Evangelism and he is looking to attract more females into technical evangelist roles. He has been helping by investing time and thinking about what it is that women want in the industry, and what they want at Microsoft at different levels. † Helen Duguid, Partner to Microsoft EMEA [2].It is just as important for female leaders to listen to the needs of their junior female colleagues, rather than make assumptions that they all have the same needs: â€Å"†¦ so many of the women who are at the top, they don’t have families, or else they might have had them, but it’s been with a totally supportive background, or they haven’t needed to be the carer in the family †¦ but you wouldn’t necessarily get from somebody at the top who didn’t have that empathy, let’s hear about you and what’s it like for you? Yo u don’t get enough of that. † [13]. 16 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles  ¦ Leaders who act as role models and who champion change The importance of senior leaders acting as role models during organisational change is well documented.But as so much change involves top down and bottom up thinking it is important that organisations mobilise and nurture leaders at all levels to support the change journey. An innovative practice identified from a non-ITEC sector organisation, but one that could be adapted, is illustrated in the case example below. Case: Recruiting internal diversity champions at Wigan & Leigh College [14] The college has 23,000 students located across six different sites. The college recognised that although it had achieved the disability element of the diversity agenda it needed to do more on the other strands. To support its philosophy of inclusion, the college introduced a leadership and management pro gramme to help change behaviours amongst its senior managers.This programme highlighted a need to do more to create a genuine culture of inclusion across the whole of the college. Following an equality and diversity ‘health check’ the college went on to recruit internal equality and diversity champions to help promote their diversity agenda. The role was open to individuals at all levels and in different areas: management, administration and academic staff. All applicants went through a structured selection process. The rationale for such a rigorous process was to ensure that those selected could act as role models, as well as have the skills to help deliver the organisation’s diversity learning programme.Staff recruited into the Diversity Champion roles, were then given additional training to ensure that they were able to perform effectively in their new role. Having a diversity of role models could help junior staff feel a greater sense of belonging, as well as develop a sense of where they might aspire to: â€Å"I like the idea of people from throughout the organisation at all levels, who are happy to be kind of champion †¦not just the high-flyers. If you have people where you are, or the next level up, where you are aspiring to be, its doable and you can relate. † [13].  ¦ Leaders who are willing and able to change Developing an organisational culture that is committed to diversity requires leaders who are willing and able to change.A key point made by Terry Marsh, from the Women into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) Campaign: â€Å"We talk a good deal about changing culture but actually the culture that we have to change is one that does not cope with change in many cases. You do not have to change the culture but you have to change people's ability to want to change, or their ability to cope with change †¦ We therefore have to look at whether there is a culture, in certain companies and certain sectors, that cannot cope with change at all. † [2].  ¦ Leaders who reinforce the diversity message Given that change takes time, leaders need to find different ways of promoting and praising those who are helping the organisation achieve its diversity goals:The Royal Academy of Engineering 17 â€Å"One of the practices that we have in place is that whenever a requisition is posted in our system the hiring manager receives a letter, signed personally by our senior VP for the EMEA region, talking about why a diverse workforce is important to the future of HP, for innovation, again referencing the business case. It reminds them that we have hiring goals and encourages them to work with the recruiter for a diverse source pool. † Lisa Kepinski, Diversity & Inclusion Director, HP [13]. Case: Supporting structures to mainstream diversity in Symantec Symantec Corporation is the fourth-largest independent software company in the world.It is the world leader in IT security, providing security and storage products solutions and services, to virtually the entire Fortune 1000 companies. One of Symantec’s best known products is the Norton consumer security solutions. The organisation employs just over 18,000 employees in 40 countries. Deborah Davis, Vice President, Enterprise Support Services, EMEA and India, explained how commitment to diversity within Symantec comes from the top. The group president, Tom Kendra, is the global leader and executive sponsor of the diversity and inclusion initiative within the organisation and Chief Technology Officer, Mark Bregman, is the executive sponsor of the organisation’s global women’s initiative.The organisation has established five goals for increasing the representation of women: a) increase the percentage of women in leadership positions to reflect the overall female demographic and management hierarchy; b) increase the percentage of women at the high end of the technical track in engineering; c) incre ase the number of women in sales; d) increase the number of women across all of our technical fields, not just software development areas; and e) build a work environment that supports and encourages women in their career aspirations. As well as executive commitment to ensure that goals and metrics are in place, the organisation has created a number of structures to sustain its diversity and inclusion initiative, as shown below. Supporting Structure Global Structure Global Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee †¢ Executive D Steering Committee meets quarterly †¢ 16 Diversity & Inclusion Councils established †¢ D Office – – – – Global Diversity & Inclusion Office 16 Diversity & Inclusion Councils – – 18 SWAN Champions – –Act as a link between SWAN and Executive Leadership Seek support for SWAN recommendations Identify, share and implement best practices Build Symantec brand as an employer of choice for women Id entify external women’s organizations and build long term partnerships Establish Metrics and Reporting Build collateral to support activity of SWAN Champions Conduct quarterly conference calls with SWAN Champions 1 18 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles There is an overall Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee as well as a network of 16 Diversity and Inclusion Councils, a figure that is expanding across the globe.In addition the organisation has a Symantec Women’s Action Network (SWAN). SWAN champions attend external women’s conferences and organisations, acting as a spokespeople for the company, and build the Symantec brand as the employer of choice for women. There is also a dedicated diversity and inclusion office that acts as a link between the SWAN networks, the Councils and the executive leadership, to ensure that information and knowledge from the various fora and groups are shared. Source: Equalitec D iversity Forum, June 2007 [13]. Points to discuss in your organisation  ¦  ¦  ¦  ¦ Do staff believe that the leadership is really committed to the diversity agenda? What do they believe that they are committed to?How is this monitored, communicated and acted upon? How diverse are the role models in your organisation? How is personal commitment to the diversity agenda monitored in your organisation? Is it something that current and aspiring leaders need to demonstrate in order to gain promotion? How is ‘mindset flexibility’ developed in your organisation? The Royal Academy of Engineering 19 3. 2 Well-defined business case There are several drivers for implementing diversity policies and practices: ethical and social justice, regulatory, economic, and business case. In private sector companies it is the business case argument that provides the main driver for change.There are many dimensions to this. It can help organisations tap into new markets, as well as appea l to a broader customer base. In an increasingly diverse society the importance of the demographics of the workforce mirroring that of clients and customers is also a powerful business case argument. Access to wider pools of labour can be a powerful argument particularly where critical talent is in short supply, as in the case of ITEC. Increasingly organisations are adopting a balanced scorecard approach to the business case for diversity, as indicated in Figure 3. †¢ Enhanced understanding of new and emerging markets Marketplace †¢ ‘Mirroring of clients’ – Customers Winning new business †¢ Products and services that meet the needs of diverse customer base demographics of client base reflected in the workforce †¢ Better understanding of needs of diverse customers †¢ Access to wider customer base †¢ Leveraging diversity of suppliers and other partnerships †¢ Enhanced reputation and profile amongst clients and other stakeholders W orkplace Access to wider pools of talent †¢ †¢ Better staff retention – lower recruitment costs Productivity/effectiveness Enhanced creativity, innovation and problem solving †¢ †¢ Enhanced employer image/reputation †¢ Richer business processes †¢ Greater organisational flexibility and responsiveness to change Employer of choice †¢ Inclusive work environment where all employees are fully †¢ Better utilisation of diverse/scarce engaged and performing talents optimally Figure 3: Diversity – Balanced Business Scorecard Although it is important for those working in change agent roles to have a broader awareness of the business benefits of diversity, it is crucial that they are able to focus on the key business benefit for their organisation, as this is what gets the attention of the senior leadership team: â€Å"For us in Pfizer, the diversity business case rests on the values of creativity and innovation because we want to bring ne w medicines to patients. † Trish Lawrence, Diversity Initiatives Manager, Pfizer PGRD [15]. 20 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles The Value Proposition Profitability and Business Success Invention and High Performance The Business Advantage Creativity and Productivity Diversity and Inclusion 14 August 2007Having got the attention of senior leaders, those working in change agent roles also need to find ways of communicating the business case in a form that line managers identify with: â€Å"One of the things we have learned is that to get the attention of line managers, we need to make the business case much more explicit. In our early efforts, we had a business case but we did not publicise the financial implications enough. † [16]. One way of doing this is to link cost/benefit data directly to line managers’ budgets: â€Å"If it's someone you know, who was a good employee, who wants to come back and they need ? 2,000 of training, but you're not paying for an agency to recruit them, it's a no-brainer from a business case viewpoint. † [23]. A continuing challenge for those working in diversity roles is being able to make direct linkages between diversity policies and enhanced operating performance and bottom line results.As Stephen Alford, HR Manager at Fujitsu Services, pointed out at the first Equalitec Diversity Forum [15] this problem arises as often a range of policy interventions are needed to address a specific diversity issue. The following case study from Fujitsu Services provides further guidance on how diversity champions can build a sound business case for diversity. Case: Building the Business Case at Fujitsu Services Fujitsu Services design, build and operate IT systems and services for customers in the financial services, telecom, retail, utilities and government markets. It employs 21,000 people worldwide. Around 12,000 of those are located in the UK working for a wide range of Public and Private sector organisations.At the 2006 Diversity Forum Stephen Alford, HR Manager, pointed out that one of the key arguments he uses to get senior business leaders to focus on diversity is to link back to the goal of ‘winning new business’. As an IT services company a key business driver is winning new contracts, something that as Stephen explained is now influenced by the changing legislation especially when tendering for public sector contracts. The Race Relations Act 2001, Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2006 mean that public sector organisations have a statutory duty to The Royal Academy of Engineering 21 promote equality in these three areas in their own organisation. In addition they have a responsibility to audit their suppliers to ensure that they too have equality schemes in place.Some of the arguments that Stephen draws on to convince managers about diversity include: Legal drivers – focusing on the pre-tend er bid situation where questions are asked about whether there have been any cases taken against the organisation and whether any have been lost. In particular pointing out how the discrimination legislation which underpins equal opportunities is uncapped and how claims can hit the bottom line significantly if the organisation gets it wrong. Raising the profile of Fujitsu – using the strapline – ‘Why focus on diversity inclusion? ’ – to point out how as an organisation Fujitsu wants to be employer of choice in the IT service sector and partner of choice for winning business.As an organisation they are now monitoring their workforce more closely, so that they have the facts to be able to manage the business more effectively. Recruiting and retaining the best talent – pointing out how with changing demographics you may not always be able to recruit the talent from the same place as you have always recruited from. In addition women, and those fr om ethnic minorities, are more likely to join an organisation where there are role models and where they feel that they can get on. Having attracted the best talent then the organisation needs to focus on retention. Losing key talent is expensive. At Fujitsu Services mothers returning to work after maternity leave return on 120% of their salary until their child is 15 months old.The more senior the women then the more this costs the organisation, but as Marjan Kuyken, Practice Manager, Programme and Project Manager points out â€Å"†¦ with that seniority comes more knowledge of the organisation and more expensive skills†. Clearly these are knowledge and skills that the organisation would not want to lose. Limitations of a lack of diversity on performance – diversity practitioners need to be able to provide a number of case examples to show how other organisations have made productivity gains from building a more diverse workforce, as well as examples of where thin gs can go when there is a lack of diversity in the decision-making teams. Sources: Equalitec Diversity Forum, May 2006 [17]; Effective Recruitment Strategies and Practices Report [12].Questions to stimulate debate in your organisation:  ¦  ¦  ¦  ¦ Do you have key data to support your business case? Are they in a format that line managers can easily understand? Do you have a range of case examples, internal and external, that you can use to support the business case? How do you communicate the business case for diversity in your organisation? Do line managers have easy access to the data on changing demographics so that they can make informed recruitment and retention decisions? 22 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles 3. 3 Company wide policies to mainstream diversity Building an organisational culture that supports diversity and inclusion is not easy.As Juliet Webster, Involvement and Participation Association (IPA), points out organisations need to go beyond value statements and develop a coherent set of policies to ensure that they attract, develop and retain employees from diverse backgrounds: â€Å"The most ‘women-friendly’ ITEC organisations are, not surprisingly, those which have clear, coherent and thoroughgoing equality and diversity frameworks encompassing their employment policies and practices. These frameworks underpin and support a variety of practical initiatives which help organisations to attract, promote and retain women †¦ some of the strongest examples of good equality practice are not always labelled as such, but what distinguishes them is a coherence of approach to staff development and progression and the express inclusion of all employee groups. † [8].Many organisations, large and small, have realised the importance of planning for diversity from the outset when developing their policies and practices, especially when the company is growing, or plans to grow in size: â€Å"If you find yourself with 15 engineers, none of whom are women, you’re suddenly in a bad position for trying to hire your first woman. As you build up from zero, you’ve actually got to be especially careful in the early days. There is something about thinking early on, when we’re working in a field that is by its nature male heavy, to think carefully about those early hires. † Doug Fraley, Head of People Programmes for EMEA, Google [12]. So what key policies and practices should organisations focus on? †¢ Recruitment and selection The Effective Recruitment Strategies and Practices research [12] highlighted how the ITEC sector has developed a reputation for informal ‘grapevine’ recruitment, where job openings are transmitted via established networks.Employee referral schemes, which have become increasingly popular with organisations, operate on a similar principle of tapping into employees’ existing networks. Howeve r there is a concern that practices like these can make it more difficult for women, especially returners, to gain entry into ITEC organisations. Where organisations want to attract a more diverse workforce it is important that they use a number of recruitment methods to signpost their vacancies and employment opportunities – we say more about this in the section on ‘Targeted outreach and widening the recruitment net’. Selection methods should also be clear and consistent, as we explain in the section on ‘Open and transparent recruitment and career development practices’. †¢Induction In some organisations, such as Fujitsu Services, the induction process is used to ensure that all new staff are aware of the organisation’s position on diversity and the actions that the organisation is taking to build a diverse and inclusive work environment. Performance management Wider research suggests that a key policy that needs to be revised in organis ations committed to diversity is performance management. According The Royal Academy of Engineering 23 †¢ to the Corporate Leadership Council, organisations that are the most successful in building a diverse workforce are those that have developed their performance management systems so that managers in particular are held accountable for achieving the organisation’s diversity objectives. In the US, some organisations link Executive bonuses to the achievement of diversity goals [18].In other organisations performance ratings are based on the ’How’ as well as the ‘What’ and a specific case example of this occurs at the end of this subsection. A range of tools can be used to gather feedback on whether management behaviours support organisations’ diversity goals: 360 degree feedback, peer review, and employee attitude surveys [19]. However, ORC, a US based consultancy suggest that organisations should be cautious about linking diversity goa ls to managerial performance, as it might distort behaviours. An additional strategy could be to publicise a list of managers that have met the goals for increasing the diversity of their unit [20]. †¢Flexible working and work-life-balance policies Wider research suggests that offering flexible work arrangements, including high quality part-time work, is part of the ‘new business case’ argument [9]. Flexible work arrangements can help women sustain their career through the child rearing phase. The benefit to organisations is better retention of skilled female employees, thus lowering overall recruitment costs. Whilst a policy on flexible working is important, as it signals the organisation’s intent, making flexible working work in practice is more problematic. This requires line managers who are committed to the principle, as well as having the necessary skills to manage flexible working. This point will be covered in more detail under ‘Supportive work practices and climate’ later in this subsection. †¢Pay and reward The government’s survey on earnings (Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2006) shows that women’s mean full-time hourly pay in computing and related jobs is 79. 6% of men’s [12]. Thus there is gender pay gap in the sector of just over 20%. This is larger pay gap than the overall UK one [20]. The main reason for the greater pay gap in ITEC is the tendency for women to be concentrated in lower paid jobs. If organisations want to attract more women to work in the sector then the gender pay gap needs to be addressed through the use of equal pay audits and job evaluation schemes. Intellect’s annual survey – ‘Perceptions of Equal Pay May 2006’ [22] – identified that only a small number of firms had carried out an equal pay audit.Yet as the survey also showed; perceptions of unequal pay can affect recruitment. †¢ Talent management and succession planning Having attracted more women into the organisation it is important that they then have every opportunity to progress. Several organisations seem to be developing their succession planning policies to ensure greater diversity amongst their leadership population. A good example of this is shown in the IBM case study at the end of this section. Michael Chivers, Vice President, Human Resources for Sales and Marketing at Sony Ericsson spoke of the importance of organisations moving away from the 24 The Royal Academy of EngineeringImplementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles ‘rear view mirror’ approach to succession planning [11]. By this he meant that instead of appointing leaders that are clones of the current leadership there is a need to think more about the leadership qualities that will take the organisation to where it wants to be in the future. Ensuring that women are given early responsibility in their career so that they build up their reputation and visibility was raised as a good strategy by several participating Equalitec organisations. This is something that will be discussed in more detail in the section on ‘Open and transparent recruitment and career development’. †¢Restructuring and downsizing As part of the background research for this report we had several illuminating conversations with HR managers about what happens to diversity when organisations are restructuring or downsizing. Some interesting perspectives emerged. One was that where organisations have made significant investment in their diversity policies and practice they need to make sure that all of that good work is preserved in the new structure. A further perspective was that restructuring could create opportunities to bring in people with different experience because that is what the business needs. In addition to the key policies discussed above there are many other policies that may need revising, or developing, to build a diverse and i nclusive workplace, as the following case from HP indicates.Case: HP Policies and Practices Supporting Diversity and Inclusion Within HP there are three main areas of focus for diversity: attracting diverse talent, promoting and developing diverse talent, and retention of diverse talent. The term ‘diverse talent’ is used within HP as it is broad and allencompassing. The organisation also has a number of policies and practices to support its diversity and inclusion strategy. These include: Non-discrimination policy Electronic job posting Diversity Hiring Goals VP’s message to hiring managers Harassment-free work environment Degree education program Domestic partner benefits Employee resource groups Development opportunities Open door policy Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Open communication Management by objective Work-Life-Policies and Resources Common Thread’ diversity newsletter A key policy lever is the ‘Diversity Hiring Goals’, which r eflects the philosophy that having a metric in place gives diversity a business grounding and helps the business get to where it wants to get to – a rich, gender diverse workforce -faster. As Lisa Kepinski, Diversity and Inclusion Director, EMEA Region points out â€Å"Having a metric creates a focus for the The Royal Academy of Engineering 25 business and it encourages a partnership between the business and HR, as it is the business that sets the metric, not HR. † A practice that reinforces the ‘Diversity Hiring Goals’ policy is the – ‘VP’s message to hiring managers’.Each time a new recruit is taken on the hiring manager receives a personal letter from the senior VP for the EMEA region, pointing out why a diverse workforce is important to the future of HP, thus reinforcing the business case. Lisa acknowledges that organisations need to watch out for the impact that metrics might have on the focus of their work – â€Å"I f you only have metrics in place for hiring and ignore promotion, development and retention, then you could have the revolving door syndrome. † Source: Equalitec Diversity Forum, June 2007 [13] Organisations that have effective monitoring in place should use these data to develop new policies, as well as refine existing policies (see section on ‘Monitor, Improve and celebrate success’ later in this section).Policies need to be initiated with the use of statistics, but they also need statistics so that monitoring and evaluation, reconstitution and re-evaluation can happen. Finally, policies need to reflect the legislation in the country in which they are being introduced. The legislation makes it easier to introduce family-friendly polices. With an increasingly mobile workforce, opportunities for sharing different policies for attracting and retaining women in ITEC in different country contexts is something that would be most valuable. But again without appropriate data, policies can be meaningless or at worst pointless; this relates as much to individual companies as to countries.Case: Managing the female talent pipeline at IBM IBM is a global company that invents, develops and manufactures information technologies, including computer systems, software, storage systems and microelectronics. These technologies are used to provide professional solutions, services and consulting for businesses worldwide. It employs around 160,000 technical professionals, worldwide. Diversity is critically important to the business: having a diverse workforce is crucial for developing diverse products and services. The organisation has developed its employment policies and practices to ensure that it attracts and retains people from diverse backgrounds, including female employees.As part of the Effective Recruitment Strategies and Practices research [23], Wendy Papworth, Gender Programme Manager, EMEA Workforce Diversity, outlined some of the practices to develo p, progress and retain women. â€Å"We run regular pay audits, as part of our salary rounds. We always look very closely at the gender element of the pay rounds, to make sure there’s fairness and it’s a level playing field. But we do run specific exercises where if there’s something that maybe suggests we should have a look at it, then we do. And we dig quite deep down into the data, and, you know, on pay for graduates, when I last looked at it about two years ago, there was no discrepancy.And there are so many factors involved in the determination of pay, so it was quite a lengthy exercise, but it was really positive. 26 The Royal Academy of Engineering Implementing Diversity Policies: Guiding Principles So, a couple of things we do. We have women’s leadership councils in each country, looking very closely at pipeline and progression. We’ve worked with the HR teams in each country to specifically identify the creme de la creme of the female talen t, and actively manage those women to make the next step change. That could be a move outside their business, or promotion. The women’s leadership council can assist by profiling role models, by getting women more actively involved in mentoring or networking and engaged in education programmes.We also look at our attrition rates in terms of propensity to leave, so if there’s a particular part of our structure where we’re seeing a higher increase of women likely to leave, say, for example, in the UK compared to that same position in the structure in another country, or overall in Europe, we conduct round tables with that part of the structure, and the band just below as well. It’s very important that we know how the women in the level below see, their future opportunities. So we conduct focus groups and round tables to get a feel for what will keep you with IBM. We keep an eye on where the key pressure points in our pipeline for women are.