Human Resources Management - Downsizing Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Management Downsizing Essay I. Introduction In this era of globalisation, where the competition in the market has become drastic, human capital is deemed to be the most important factor to the integration as well as strategy of enterprises among any other factors (Waddel, Cummings, Worley, 2007). Since retaining and sustaining workforce is undeniably crucial to corporate integration, learning the trend and comprehending the will of employees is crucial to any enterprise’s survival. Taking scenario in Australia, the authors’ objective in this article is to emphasize the importance of older workers’ contributions to workplaces and employers are suggested unbiasedly re-adjusting their attitude and policies in order to effectively utilise the productivity of older workers. II. Article Analysis a. Researches Methodology In this article, secondary researches e.g. surveys, researches from others’ studies†¦ were used primarily. In terms of quantitative researches, the article mainly gathered data from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS); Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR); and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Its data validity can be strongly substantiated as both ABS and DEEWR are under the management of Australian government; and OECD is also a renowned international economic organisation which promotes economy and social well-being of people globally. Hence, its information validity is also confirmed. Noticeably, authors also use their past studies as references, for example, their paper: â€Å"Retaining and Sustaining the Competence of Older Workers: An Australian Perspective†, written in 2009. This raises the question about the credibility of such reference. Moreover, several references seem to be out-dated, for ex ample, â€Å"Sociology† by Giddens in 1997, or the survey’s data of McIntosh’s paper in 2001. b. Significance of the Findings The findings in the article are relatively clear and straightforward, yet what they truly provide to readers are beyond mere facts. It is the broad knowledge that is provided allowing readers to come up with their own judgement about the issue. The article first presents the idea to readers that an increasing wave of older workers will be coming up in the future due to the shortage of young worker and the consequences of the financial crisis in the early 2008. It is true that because of such crisis, people’s superannuation is heavily affected and therefore even elders will very likely try to go back to the labour market and look for works (Bekaert Hodrick, 2009). Nevertheless, what the authors aim to achieve is not only to present the trend to the readers, but to raise the employers’ awareness so that they do not look down to older workers as â€Å"last resorts† as they will very likely become a major workforce in the future. The authors claimed that older workers undoubtedly will become crucial to the Australia economy in the near future. Yet there is proof presented in the article that indicates the existence of the negativity of employers’ attitude toward older workers. This claim is also valid as according to a HR report from Thompson Reuters, a research was conducted and realized that only 25% of the number of employers being asked tried to convince Baby Boomers to stay back when they resigned, compared to 40% for Generation X and Generation Y (HR Report, 2008). On the other hand, the article also provides to readers a completely opposite proof which shows that employers hold no grudge against older workers. Such claim is also substantiated by an article by Forbes, in which, a survey of 500 hiring managers was conducted and resulted that 60% of hiring managers would likely to hire older workers, compared to 20% of those would hire Millenials, who were born just before the millennium, from 1981 through 2000 (Adams, 2012). III. Strength and Weakness/Limitation of the article c. The strength of the article Basically, the article targets readers who are working in Human Resources field. It has done its part by successfully conveying the idea to readers by using sets of well organised evidences and firm hypothesises. The article also proposed a rational strategy that, according to the authors, would not only help employers to not waste human capital, but also support the older employees’ employability by changing the attitude of employers in the workplace. The data and references used in the article were relevant to the discussed area. Each and every statement in the article is backed with credible sources; therefore it makes readers feel confident and safe when they acquire the knowledge from the article. On top of that, not only it provides evidences which support only its hypothesis, but also it provides evidences that are completely contradictory to its hypothesis, for example, the case in the study of McIntosh in 2001 where the attitude of employers toward older workers was n ot negative at all. This helps readers to have broader view and shows that the authors were unbiased when writing this article. d. Weakness and Limitation of the article Since the article was taking the scenario happening in Australia, its world-wide applicability is questionable. Although the article also uses some foreign data, for example, McIntosh’s research which was conducted with the U.S’s labour forces, it is still very limited. As mentioned, authors also used their part studies as references; hence, this raises questions about such sources’ credibility. Furthermore, the year which the article was written was 2011, yet there are a few references that were written a long time ago, â€Å"Sociology† written by Giddens in 1997 is an example. This also raises the question about the sources’ up-to-date applicability. One of its strong points turns out to be its weakness. Each and every statement in the article is backed up with a study; therefore it somewhat gives readers a feeling that very few ideas in the article were original. IV. Conclusion According to (Waddel, Cummings, Worley, 2007), in the process of globalisation, it requires enterprises to constantly adapt and develop in the way that would maximize their intrinsic value. The article has shown readers the proof that older workers is one promising and valuable source of high-quality workforce, yet evidences show that a lot of employers are still age-biased. On that ground, it is recommended that employers should not take this matter lightly anymore. Instead, they are suggested starting to change their attitude toward the older worker, re-adjust the workplace’s policies in order to maximize and sustain the productivity of older workers. Based on the hypothesis and findings of the article above, linking to the case study â€Å"High Flyers†, even though Silvertail is trying to build a newer and younger image, it should not get rid of older cabin crew by persecuting and being harsh on them. Rather than that, Silvertail should approach more positively by looking at their actual performance, including their motivation, and then re-allocate the job for them so that the integration and strategy of the company would be aligned. According to (Adams, 2012), older workers are superior in many fields e.g. positive work ethic, problem solving, leadership, reliability, professionalism, etc†¦ Rather than wasting a good source of human capital, using it wisely is always optimal. Bibliography (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2012, from http://deewr.gov.au/ (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2012, from http://www.oecd.org/ Australian Bureau of Statistics: About Us. (2012, November 13). Retrieved December 14, 2012, from Australian Bureau of Statistics: http://abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/Home/About+Us?opendocument#from-banner=GT Adams, S. (2012, September 9). Older Workers, Theres Hope: Study Finds Employers Like You Better Than Millennials. Retrieved December 13, 2012, from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2012/09/24/older-workers-theres-hope-study-finds-employers-like-you-better-than-millennials/ Bekaert, G., Hodrick, R. (2009). Internation Financial Management. Boston: Peason. HR Report. (2008, September 17). Employers ignoring older workers. Retrieved December 15, 2012, from Thompson Reuters: http://sites.thomsonreuters.com.au/workplace/2008/09/17/employers-ignoring-older-workers/ Manpower Research and Statistics Department. (2007). A Statistical Profile of Older Workers. Singapore: Ministry of Manpower. Waddel, D., Cummings, T. G., Worley, C. G. (2007). Organisation Development and Change. Asia Pacific. (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.

Andy Warhol Essay -- Pop Art Andy Warhol Artist Essays

Andy Warhol Works Cited Missing "I just paint things I always thought were beautiful, things you use every day and never think about†¦ I just do it because I like it. (Beckris 110) I just do it because I like it is Andy’s philosophy on life. Andy might just be the most interesting and at the same time the most confusing individual you will ever read about. Andy’s work is like none others. His art brought common day people together and showed the impact of contemporary society and the idea of mass media on values. Andy’s father Ondrej Wharhola is best described as a bald, burly man with a bulging belly and massive upper arms, pudgy nose and bristling sideburns. Ondrej was born in 1889 in Minkova. (Bekris, 6) He was married and living with Julia Warhola, mother of Andy, for three years in Mikova. In order to avoid being drafted into the Balkan conflict in 1912 he immigrated to Pittsburgh without her at the age of seventeen to work in a coal field in the industrial district of Philadelphia. ( Bekris, 7) Julia Warhola was born in a small village in the Capathian mountains outside of Czechoslovakia. Julia was the oldest and prettiest of her fifteen other siblings. She was also said to be the artistic one of the bunch. (Bekris, 7) In 1914 Julia gave birth to a baby girl. Because of the conditions due to the war the infant contracted influenza six months later and died. Julia’s mother was so depressed about the news of the infants death that she died one month later. (Bekris, 8-9) Julia was now reliable for her only two surviving sisters of ages six and nine. For the next four years Julia fled from the soldiers, hiding in woods and barns. She was supposed to be receiving money from Ondrej but because she was always on the run she never saw the money. From 1918-1921 she raised 160 dollars to go to the united states to find Ondrej. (Bekris, 9) Andy Warhol was born on September 28, 1930 in Forest City, Pennsylvania. Or so we think. This is what the original birth certificate read but Andy wanted people to believe he was born in Mc Keesport, or even Hawaii. He also stays true to believe the certificate is a forgery. Most books and other reportable sources confirm that he was indeed born in 1930 but the dates do range from 1925-1931 (Bekris, 10). Andy was raised in a coal mining town in Philadelphia. It was a dark musty town were the sky stayed black. The to... ... 10pm and at 4am on Sunday February 22, Min Chou, the private nurse who had been selected by the hospital from a registry, took Andy’s blood pressure and found it stable. She gave a progress report to the chief surgical resident by telephone at 11pm; presumably while the patient slept. At 5:45am Ms. Chou noticed that Warhol had turned blue and his pulse had weakened. Unable to waken him she summoned the floor nurse who in the words of a colleague, "almost had a stroke" A cardiac arrest team began resuscitation efforts but according to hospital sources, had difficulty putting a tube in Warhol’s windpipe because rigor mortis had started to set in. At 6:31am the artist was pronounced dead. The art world suffered a great lose with the death of Andy Warhol. His personal style will always move forward touching and changing people’s lives every day. Andy was a one of a kind and will never be recreated. To understand his art is a feeling many people over look. It is an every day reminder that we don’t take the time to look at what goes on around us. Now when I walk I wont just look down but all around me. At the trees, clouds, bricks under my feet, and the entire world moving around me.

Life of Pi Analysis Essay

Having just experienced the sinking of his family’s ship, and being put onto a life boat with only a hyena, Pi felt completely lost and alone. Then he met a familiar face from his family’s zoo, Pi saw the Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker onboard. His first reaction was to save the life of Richard Parker so that he may have a companion, and a protector aboard the lifeboat. Suddenly Pi realizes just what he is doing. He is saving the life of Richard Parker, by welcoming him, a 450 pound Bengal tiger, onto the small lifeboat. He experiences a change of heart when helping the tiger onto the boat. Pi realizes that he is now posing a threat on his own life. With Richard Parker on the boat, Pi is faced with not only the fight to survive stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but the fight to survive living with a meat eating tiger. The change of heart that Pi experiences might possibly mean that he is an impulsive thinker. It may mean that he often does something on impulse without thinking it through, and then later regrets his actions. Though he was having bad experiences onboard, Pi maintains his religious beliefs while on the life boat through his daily prayers. He takes time aside each day to say the prayers that he always would say. In one instance, he turns where he believes Mecca is located, and prays his traditional prayers towards Mecca. Pi also often states that he will include specific animals in his prayers, such as the zebra aboard his lifeboat, and the first fish that he ever killed. With Pi keeping his ritual prayers going, it helped him to survive. He made comparisons between that of Orange Juice, the orangutan, and the Virgin Mary, and would also often bring up Jesus on the cross. Truly, Pi’s religious faith remained strong throughout his journey on the Pacific Ocean.

The Charlotte Riots and the Killing of Keith Scott

Deadly riots broke out in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September 2016. What had been peaceful protests over the police killing of an African American man named Keith Lamont Scott turned into a melee involving both demonstrators and the authorities. The spread of gunfire, vandalism, and smoke bombs during the riots led the North Carolina governor to declare a state of emergency. In the end, neither the city of Charlotte nor the people caught up in the protests were left unscathed. The 2016 Charlotte Riots The Charlotte riots took place in 2016 after a black man named Keith Lamont Scott was killed by police on Sept. 20. Officers said he had a gun, but Scott’s family denied he was armed and suggested he’d been framed. The riots ended by the morning of Sept. 23, but they had resulted in property damage, injuries, and more than a few dozen arrests. Tragically, one man, Justin Carr, died during the violence that broke out in Charlotte after Scott’s killing.The district attorney ultimately decided not to file charges against the officer who shot Scott because evidence suggested the slain man had been armed and did not follow commands. The Killing of Keith Lamont Scott The Charlotte riots took place just one day after a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer fatally shot married father of seven Keith Lamont Scott. The 43-year-old man had parked his car in the lot of the Village at College Downs apartment complex, where police had arrived to serve an arrest warrant to a different individual. The officers said they saw Scott with marijuana and that he’d gotten in and out of his car with a handgun. When they told him to drop his weapon, he ignored their commands, making him an â€Å"imminent threat,† according to the authorities. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Brentley Vinson, who is African American, fired his weapon, wounding Scott. First aid was performed, but Scott did not survive. His wife, Rakeyia Scott, had witnessed his killing and maintained that he was holding a book in his hand, not a gun. Given the history of police shooting unarmed black men, supporters of Scott believed his wife’s account. However, the authorities attempted to verify their version of what happened by stating that they had recovered Scott’s loaded gun from the scene and that he had been wearing an ankle holster. They also said that no book was ever found. Protestors march up Trade St. September 21, 2016 in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images The disparities between law enforcement’s account of events and Rakeyia Scott’s led protesters to take to the streets. The fact that his family suggested that the authorities had planted the gun at the scene only led to more skepticism about the officers involved in Scotts shooting. Several people were harmed during the demonstrations over his death. Riots Break Out in Charlotte Just hours after Scott’s killing, demonstrators poured into the streets. They held the trademark â€Å"Black Lives Matter† signs often spotted in the wake of deadly police shootings of African Americans. The grassroots Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gained momentum after Mike Brown’s killing in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. The movement raises awareness about the fact that African Americans are disproportionately killed by the police. Protesters affiliated with BLM and other groups chanted â€Å"no justice, no peace!† as they marched through downtown Charlotte. Some members of the public reportedly began to pelt the police officers on the scene with water bottles and rocks. The officers responded by firing tear gas. During the unrest, police, news reporters, and civilians all sustained injuries. Arrests were made when some crowd members didn’t disperse, blocked the lanes of Interstate 85, vandalized vehicles and buildings, robbed an ATM and various shops, and set fires. A civilian named Justin Carr, 21,  lost his life in the violence, and a fellow civilian, Rayquan Borum, was arrested for shooting him and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2019. Altogether, 44 people were arrested for various crimes in the days following the police killing of Keith Lamont Scott. Police officers face off with protesters on the I-85 (Interstate 85) during protests in the early hours of September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images When North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory declared a state of emergency in Charlotte after the first night of violence, the North Carolina National Guard and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol arrived in the city to quash the rebellion. In addition, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts instituted a curfew preventing civilians from being on the streets between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.  With extra law enforcement patrolling the streets and a curfew, the protests had calmed down considerably on the night of September 22. The mayor extended the curfew one more night, but by September 23, Charlotte businesses were already up and running again. Reaction to the Violence The riots made international headlines and everyone from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to black activists commented on them. â€Å"Our country looks bad to the world, especially when we are supposed to the world’s leader,† Trump said. â€Å"How can we lead when we can’t even control our own cities? We honor and recognize the right of all Americans to peacefully assemble, protest, and demonstrate, but there is no right to engage in violent disruption or to threaten the public safety and peace.† The North Carolina NAACP issued a similar message, decrying violence and calling on Scott supporters to use their First Amendment rights to call for redress of wrongs,† the group said. â€Å"We understand efforts that undermine the legitimate calls for justice with unjust, random or purposeless acts of violence.   Police stand outside of a vandalized storefront September 21, 2016 in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.   Sean Rayford / Getty Images Nation of Islam leader B.J. Murphy had a different response to the riots. He called for an economic boycott of Charlotte, a city with a history of police shootings involving black men. In 2013, former college football player Jonathan Farrell, an African American, was fatally shot by Charlotte police after seeking help following a car crash. A jury deadlocked on whether to find the white policeman who killed Farrell guilty. Later, charges against the officer were dropped. In light of police violence against blacks, B.J. Murphy argued that black money shouldn’t matter in Charlotte if black lives don’t.   Restoring the Public’s Trust After the riots, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department attempted to rebuild the public’s trust in its officers. It produced DNA results tying Keith Lamont Scott’s prints to the gun at the scene and turned up evidence indicating that he’d purchased the weapon. The department did this, in part, to offset claims by Scott’s family that he’d been framed in death, but this evidence failed to put an end to the disputes between the family and the police department. Video of the encounter taken by police dashcams and Rakeyia Scott’s cell phone did not end the dispute either because it did not include the actual shooting. The footage also lacked a clear image of what Scott had in his hands when police fired their shots, so the debates about his conduct that fateful day continued. The authorities said he was a threat, while his widow said he walked toward police calmly with his hands at his sides. Residents gather for a vigil and march to protest the death of Keith Scott September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Scott, who was black, was shot and killed at an apartment complex near UNC Charlotte by police officers, who say they warned Scott to drop a gun he was allegedly holding.   Brian Blanco / Getty Images Two months after Scott’s killing, Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray said that no charges would be filed against Brentley Vinson, the officer who fired the fatal shot. Murray reasoned that the evidence indicated that Scott had been armed at the time of his killing. His .380 semiautomatic handgun, according to police, had fallen to the ground after he was shot. The district attorney concluded that Scott didn’t aim his weapon at officers, but he didn’t obey their orders to drop it either. Scotts family expressed disappointment in the district attorney’s findings but asked the public to keep the peace. Sources Gordon, Michael. â€Å"Charlotte protests, riots are the backdrop in the murder trial of Rayquan Borum.† Charlotte Observer, 7 February 2019.Maxwell, Tanya and Melanie Eversley. â€Å"N.C. Gov. declares state of emergency following violent Charlotte protests.† USA Today, 21 September 2016.â€Å"Jury deadlocked in North Carolina officer shooting trial; mistrial declared.† CBS News, 21 August 2015.â€Å"State of emergency in Charlotte amid 2nd night of violent protests.† CBS News, 21 September 2016.