High Profile corporate collapses in the last two decades have been Assignment

High Profile corporate collapses in the last two decades have been attributed to laxities in the regulatory framework of financi - Assignment Example In June 2002, the EU has adopted a regulation to prepare their financial statements in agreement with IFRS or IAS which is required to be followed by all listed European Union companies in the regulated markets. Companies are open to select their national reporting standards and follow Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for associate and subsidiary companies. The regulation is applicable only on the consolidated accounts. The regulation came into consideration from the year 2005 (PwC, 2005). With an aim to develop common accounting standards in 1973, nine countries including UK formed International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC). Over hundred countries have it’s become members. Countries, especially bigger economies, are bringing in their own perspectives and adapting to this accounting standards. In coming up with common acceptable accounting standards IASC had to deal with accounting conflictions (Accounting Standards Board, 1999). IASC has not been succe ssful in resolving all the conflicts with all member countries as it is nearly an impossible task to fully satisfy more than hundred accounting bodies from across the world. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or International Accounting Standards (IAS) is applicable to more than 90 countries. ... Except for some changes in IAS 39 relating to the fair value of financial instruments, IFRS 6 and some of the IFRIC interpretations, European Union has now endorsed IFRS (IFRS, 2012). The EU regulation is only enforceable for listed companies. A member state has an alternative to extend the use of IFRS within their jurisdiction to unlisted companies. Department of Trade and Industry has said that the unlisted companies would still be permitted to adopt IFRS over UK GAAP as there is no mandatory instructions for unlisted companies to move to IFRS (IFRS, 2012). Arguments in favour of financial reporting regulation Mainstream economistic reasoning has also been influential in respect of the issue of how best to regulate financial accounting. Some of the above perspectives have implications for how accounting should be regulated. Perspectives that assume the existence of perfect information clearly would not see the need for further regulation. Under the scenario of perfect and complete markets, a company that accepted all projects with non-negative present values would simply have to announce these present values or cash flows to the market, if we take a slightly less abstract view (although strictly in such reasoning this would automatically happen for markets to be perfect and complete). The value of the company would then equal the present value of these cash flows, which in turn would equal the market price. Under these circumstances one may even question whether annual reports are necessary. Within mainstream economic thinking (that assumes ‘perfect and complete markets’ to maximise well-being and the role of ‘accounting information’ to be confined to serving markets), the answer to this question would be in the negative as it would be to the question ‘is

Economic Impacts of Minimum Wage Increase Essay Example for Free

Economic Impacts of Minimum Wage Increase Essay The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 increased the minimum wage of $5. 15 per hour to $7. 15 per hour. It is believed that an increase in the minimum wage will not create negative implications on jobs, employment and inflation. Rather, wage increase legislated in the past three decades have made the most positive impacts in the economy, as the economy experienced the strongest growth during these times, and at the same time has generated more jobs. In contrast, when the minimum wage was held at a stagnant rate, fewer jobs have been created (Democrats Discuss†¦). Moreover, wages held at the minimum level translates to lower productivity level. In addition, states that are based on the minimum wage rates suffer from the high occurrence of unemployment. This is true in the case of Virginia, Wyoming and Hawaii; wherein the wages were kept in the minimum level which resulted to high percentage of unemployment. In addition to this, the increase in the unemployment rate is translated to changes in the GDP. According to economist Arthur Khon, every 1% increase in unemployment rate, the GDP falls by 2.5-3%. Therefore, if the wage rate is always kept at a minimum level, the tendency that unemployment rate will rise also increases, thus it creates a negative effect towards the country’s GDP (Mackenzie). Therefore, an increase in the minimum wage rate will have direct effects in the economy. First, it will translate in the increase of productivity level of the workers, it will also improve the buying power of the consumers and it will lessen the unemployment rate – all of which will have a positive rise in the GDP of the country.

Computer Crime :: Criminal Justice

Formatting Problems In today's society our most valuable commodity is not grain, steel or even technology; it is information. Because of computer networks, just about everyone can now access an astounding range of information. The Internet is international, even though 80 percent of the Internet use occurs in the United States, and a staggering amount of information on every subject imaginable is available for free. Because so many people now have access, computer crimes have become more frequent. Everyone with a computer and a modem can commit a computer crime if so inclined. Anyone, conceivably, could become a "white collar" computer criminal. When the term "white collar" crime came into wide spread use several decades ago, it was thought that certain crimes were committed by persons whom no one would normally suspect of criminal behavior: professional, "white collar" workers. In the late 1990's, however, the term "white collar" is somewhat inaccurate. The playing field has been leveled by the widespr ead use of computers. Now "white collar crime" tends to mean simply "non violent crime" or "economic crime." As technology becomes increasingly accessible to more and more people, it also becomes a potential tool for increasing numbers of criminals. Most computer crimes do not involve violence but rather greed, pride, or play on some character weakness of the victim. They are based on dishonesty and not force. For these reasons, computer crimes are considered white collar. Just as the term "white collar crime" designates several kinds of crime, the term computer crime also designated several types of crime. It includes crimes that are committed with a computer, crimes that occur in cyber space, and crimes committed against a computer. Some of the crimes are completely new; while others are older crimes that merely use the computer as a tool. The endless and constant growing variety of computer crimes makes it difficult to pass laws that adequately cover new computer crimes. Some cri mes such as embezzlement, wire fraud, and forgery, are already covered under existing law. Others, such as cyber vandalism, cyber terrorism, and cyber espionage, are relatively new. For these newer crimes, the letter of the existing law sometimes does not allow prosecution of what clearly is criminal behavior. Employees and ex-employees of the victimized company commit most "white collar crimes". Likewise about 75 to 80 percent of prosecuted computer crimes are committed by current or former employees. There are many different kinds of computer crimes ranging from identity theft to sexual harassment to otherwise ordinary "white collar" crimes that happen to involve a computer.

Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell: Human Rights in Nigeria Case Analysis International Business April 22, 2013 The History Royal Dutch Shell is a global company. It has about 93,000 employees and is located in more than 90 countries. It is an energy and petrochemicals business. In the US it was founded in 1912 by the American Gasoline Company to sell gasoline along the Pacific Coast, and Roxanna Petroleum to buy oil product properties in Oklahoma (according to Shell. US website). However, it was founded in 1907 in Europe when Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and the Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd merged.This was done to help the company compete globally. It has done several mergers and buyouts in its hundred plus years of business. Throughout the years Shell has made changes in their business to better compete in the market from becoming a global business to investing in research and development in the newest and latest energy technologies. Today it is in the top six of oil and gas companies. It produces around 3. 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Problem The Guardian News has run an article reporting on the inconsistencies of what the Royal Dutch Shell has committed to and the reality of the situation.Two hospitals that we built in the Ogoni region of Nigeria are diametrically opposite of each other in health standards and overall aesthetics. The company has reported that it is committed to the social well-being of the area, but the reality is completely different. The Situation The situation is that we have as part of the 1996 â€Å"Ogani Reconciliation† plan committed to the social and economic well-being of the local communities. There has been millions of dollars sent to the country allocated to the areas of hospitals and medical care as well as to other needs.Though resources have been sent to build hospitals for the region, the reality is that any of the improvements that was said to be done are seriously subpar to any health standard of any country. Improvements have been done with little regard to the needs of the people and were primarily done so that it can be said that the company was committed to the local region. Though millions has been sent to the country, much of this has been siphoned off to other areas of government and possible to fill the pockets of people that are in the place of authority. Also, some decisions have been made without direct input from the region itself.What to build? Where to build? How to allocate resources? These are all questions that need a comprehensive answer that involves each of the concerned parties. It is concerning that these issues have been allowed to happen. A company of their size and magnitude should not have allowed these community projects be the mockery of the press. Royal Dutch Shell is a company that has many well rounded and sound business plans. The execution and maintenance of these business plans is one of Shell’s main issues. They have the ability to creat e great business plans but lack the commitment to maintain them and sometime execute them in all areas.Marketing Issues The company has had a lot of negative publicity due to the companies operation in the Ogani region of Nigeria. The company is seen to be working hand-in-hand with Nigerian security personnel with little regard to the local minority people of that region. This is causing violence and unrest of the region as well sabotage of the oil pipelines causing oil spills and environmental damage. Actions For the short term, we need to consider the following objectives: * One of the first steps is to make sure the hospital consistently has the electricity and the fuel to run a backup generator.Provide backup generators with the fuel to run them when necessary. If a lavish hospital can be kept up for the employees of our company we can keep up adequate levels of care of Gokana. This will serve as big public relations improvement. * The company should use its knowledge to help ou t the struggling hospital and install wind and solar power technology so they can lower the cost of electricity and help improve a bad situation. * The company should consider helping and sharing their equipment, employees, ambulances, etc. with the hospital in Ogoniland.This will show the community that Shell is â€Å"being a good neighbor†, which in turn would boost the communities morale. * Making improvements on the hospital will directly affect the people of the region. * Setup a working committee with MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People) and Nigerian national representatives, as well as an independent group to oversee any agreements. * Work with the region to start making the improvements that will directly affect the people of the region. * Take responsibility of the oil spills due to company failure and get these cleaned up. Take responsibility for all of the pollution * Use the people of the company to reach out into the community and start community clean up days so the people can help clean up their community and also have a little ownership into the improvements. * Review the companies committees and oversight boards and make sure that the people in place are committed to working with the region. * Reach out to the community with surveys to the people to get their feelings about Shell and what they would like to see improve. * Once improvements are made hold a press conference to help with the PR of the company.It is obvious that the public relations area has suffered. Make it a point to show what is being done to help the area. The long term goals would be to: * Work with the MOSOP to get a comprehensive plan in place that will work to end the protests and sabotage of company pipelines. * Put a sustainable corporate plan in place with independent review that all policies are being adhered to by all officers pertinent to this region. * By getting these agreements, and with the investments in the local infrastructure will cau se less problems that will need money allocated to them. Work to develop better company practices to promote a higher sense of ethics and their climates in the work place * Change their business approach from an egoistic approach to a principal-based approach (integrity approach based on laws) Conclusion Caution will be needed due to the political environment and instability of Nigeria. The company will always need to be aware of what is going on politically on both the national and local levels. The corporate actions taken by Royal Dutch Shell has affected and destroyed a community.The company has tried to recover and fixed what they have done but they have not succeeded in doing so. Royal Dutch Shell has to build a relationship of trust with the Nigerian community. They have to let the community be heard when they are reaching out to let the company know what they need and allow them to be part of the reconstruction and rebuilding of their community. Shell is a very lucrative comp any that makes millions of dollars a day; they would be very hurt to lose this business operation base in Nigeria. Shell went from an egoistic operation in Nigeria to a principle based operation.If Shell even took on a larger sense of social responsibility, they would have gained a larger competitive advantage over the competition. Though the company was acquitted of several charges in January of 2013 by the Dutch courts and made responsible for the oil spills on the last count, there will be unrest in the local region as they want to make the company responsible for all of the problems. Careful steps will need to be taken to address the concerns in such a way to help the region and to lessen the criticism of the people and media.

External environmental influences Essay

The external environmental factors described in the following essay have a direct or indirect influence on HRM. To be effective, HR managers must monitor the environment on an ongoing basis; assess the impact of any changes; and be proactive in implementing policies and programs to deal with such challenges. Economic Environment The economic environment has a major impact on business in general and the management of human resources in particular. Economic conditions affect supply and demand for products and services, which, in turn, have a dramatic impact on the labour force by affecting the number and types of employees required, as well as an employer’s ability to pay wages and provide benefits. When the economy is healthy, companies often hire more workers as demand for products and services increases. Consequently, unemployment rates fall, there is more competition for qualified employees, and training and retention strategies increase in importance. Conversely, during a downturn, some firms reduce pay and benefits in order to retain workers. Other employers are forced to downsize, by offering attractive early retirement and early leave programs or by laying off and terminating employees. Unemployment rates rise, and employers are often overwhelmed with applicants when vacancies are advertised. In most organizations today, productivity improvement is essential for long-term success. Through productivity gains, managers can reduce costs, conserve scarce resources, and increase profits. This leads to a win-win situation, since higher profits often result in better compensation and improved working conditions, thereby enhancing the employees’ quality of work life and their motivation to further improve productivity. Australia’s relatively low productivity growth rate and high labour costs are of grave concern, since competition with foreign companies has become increasingly important. Australia’s economic success increasingly depends on the ability of Australian employers to meet international quality and  productivity standards and become more cost-competitive. This applies to firms selling products and services in the domestic market, in which foreign competition is increasingly a factor, as well as those with international markets. Labour Market Conditions The labour market is the geographic area from which an organization recruits employees and where individuals seek employment. In other words, it is the area in which the forces of supply and demand interact. The labour market is often different for various employee groups within an organization. While clerical and technical employees are generally recruited locally, the labour market for senior managers and highly specialized employees is often national or even international in scope. One measure of an organization’s effectiveness is its ability to compete successfully for high calibre human resources. Many factors motivate candidates to seek employment with a particular organization, including type of business/industry, reputation, opportunities for advancement, compensation, job security, and working conditions. Location and climate and other aspects of a firm’s physical surroundings, such as housing, commuting, and living costs, can help or hinder a firm’s ability to attract and retain employees. Recent population shifts to the coastal and small towns and rural areas can be attributed, at least in part, to the desire of many individuals to work and live in what they perceive to be a more desirable physical environment. Such shifts alter the demand for and supply of individuals in local labour markets, a factor that firms must always take into account when deciding where to establish a new venture, expand, or downsize. Because the labour market is not controlled or influenced by any one factor, it is unstructured and often unpredictable. Nevertheless, organizations must constantly monitor and track trends affecting supply and demand of human  resources. By doing so, they can gather information about the prevailing pay rates for employees with particular talents or skills, and estimate how difficult it is likely to be to attract and recruit staff. Labour market conditions should also be monitored to determine present and emerging trends (such as the changing composition of the labour force) as well as changing values and expectations, so that policies and programs can be adapted and/or designed in order to recognize and take advantage of these trends. Globalization Globalization refers to the tendency of firms to extend their sales or manufacturing to new markets abroad. For businesses everywhere, the rate of globalization in the past few years has been nothing short of phenomenal. â€Å"The bottom line is that the growing integration of the world economy into a single, huge marketplace is increasing the intensity of competition in a wide range of manufacturing and service industries.† Production is becoming globalized, too, as firms around the world put manufacturing facilities where they will be most advantageous. Also, there are increasing numbers of multinational corporations–firms that conduct a large part of business outside the country in which they are headquartered and that locate a significant percentage of their physical facilities and human resources in other countries. Many organizations are locating new plants in areas where wages and other operating costs are lower. For example, Australia’s Hewlett Packard’s computers are assembled in Singapore. While cheaper labour is one reason for transferring operations abroad, another is to tap into what Fortune magazine calls â€Å"a vast new supply of skilled labour around the world.† Many multinational firms set up manufacturing plants abroad, not only to establish beachheads in promising markets, but also to utilize that country’s professionals and engineers. This globalization of markets and manufacturing has vastly increased international competition. Throughout the world, organizations that formerly  competed only with local or national firms–from airlines to automobile makers to banks–are now facing an onslaught of foreign competitors. From boosting the productivity of a global labour force to formulating selection, training, and compensation policies for expatriate employees, managing globalization and its effects on competitiveness will thus continue to be a major HR challenge in the years to come. Demographic Trends and Increasing Work-force Diversity Demographics refers to the characteristics of the work force, which include age, sex, marital status, and education level. Demographic changes occur slowly and are well measured, which means that they are known in advance. The fact that Australia’s labour force is becoming increasingly diverse is one of the major challenges confronting HR managers today. Diversity refers to â€Å"†¦ any attribute that humans are likely to use to tell themselves, ‘that person is different from me,'† and thus includes such factors as race, gender, age, values, and cultural norms. Population Growth The single most important factor governing the size and composition of the labour force is population growth. Currently, the fastest growing groups in the Australian work force are women, visible minorities, Aboriginal people, and persons with disabilities. Age The baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1965, began crowding into the labour market in the late 1960s. The sheer number of â€Å"boomers† helped to expand the economy and made it easier for HR departments to focus on issues such as cost containment, since recruitment and selection, while important, were not the most critical problems. During the 1990s, individuals in this â€Å"population bulge† experienced a great deal of competition for advancement. This challenged managers to find new strategies for forging career paths, such as lateral moves, to keep this group motivated and satisfied. The  oldest of the baby boomers are now in their mid-fifties. Life expectancies have increased and fertility rates have declined, the average age of the population is increasing substantially. Since some baby boomers have already taken advantage of generous early retirement programs and many more will be retiring over the 25 years, pension plan and social security benefits issues are starting to present a very serious concern for employers and governments, given the smaller labour force available to support the retirees. Many organizations with a primary interest in the younger age group, such as retail establishments and fast-food chains, have already started to feel the impact of the fact that the population from which they have traditionally gained customers and part-time workers is starting to shrink dramatically. Some employers have undertaken initiatives to attract older workers, especially those who have taken early retirement, by offering job sharing and expanding the number of part-time hours available. For example, McDonald’s Restaurants of Australia is another organization that is actively recruiting seniors, as well as directing advertising efforts to appeal to the senior market. HR specialists must remember that many HR policies, benefits plans, and reward systems that attract and motivate employees in one age group may not appeal to those in another due to differing values and priorities. Education The level of education of the Australian labour force is increasing at a significant rate. more Australians are pursuing higher education, through a variety of institutions ranging from universities and colleges/TAFEs to trade schools, private-sector organizations, and professional associations.  growth in the number of cooperative-education programs, designed to enable students to gain work experience while still attending school, and of  distance-education opportunities, which mesh Internet technology with the fundamental need to continue learning. Given the higher expectations of the better-educated labour force, managers are expected to try to ensure that the talents and capabilities of employees are fully utilized and that opportunities are provided for career growth. In today’s economic climate, doing so is not always possible. Visible and Ethnic Minorities The proportion of visible and ethnic minorities entering the Australian labour market is growing, in jobs ranging from general labour to technical, professional, and skilled trades. Ethnic diversity is also increasing. Thus, HR specialists must ensure that policies and programs are developed in their organizations to accommodate and celebrate the diverse cultural characteristics of visible and ethnic minority employees, something that requires much more than ensuring compliance with human rights legislation. Women The growing presence of women has been one of the dominant trends in Australia’s labour force since the 1950s. Factors contributing to the dramatic increase in female participation rate include smaller family size, increased divorce rate, the need and desire for dual family incomes, increased educational level, and the availability of more-flexible working hours and part-time jobs. The employment rate for women has also continued to climb. Recent studies have shown that women have moved into occupations in which the unemployment rate is low, while men tend to be clustered in jobs in which the risk of unemployment is much higher.73 There is still strong evidence that women are underutilized in the Australian work force, however. Aboriginal Peoples Indigenous peoples are still facing considerable difficulty in obtaining jobs and advancing in the workplace. Persons with Disabilities Despite the fact that human rights legislation in every Australian jurisdiction prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, Australians with disabilities continue to confront physical barriers to equality every day. Inaccessibility is still the rule, not the exception. Even though studies show that there are no performance differences in terms of productivity, attendance, and average tenure between employees who classify themselves as having a disability and those who do not, persons with disabilities continue on average to experience high rates of unemployment and underemployment, and lower pay. Overall Impact of Increasing Diversity Managers must be extremely aware that related to the work-force diversity described above are significant value differences about the overall importance of work, what aspects or characteristics of a job are most important, tolerance of discipline in terms of hours and pace of work, attitudes toward authority, and definition of loyalty. Employees increasingly expect to exercise more freedom from management control, and are more demanding and questioning. More people are seeking jobs that are attuned to their personal values and provide the opportunity for them to bring their personalities to work with them,87 as well as flexible work arrangements and other programs that will enable them to balance their work and personal lives.88 Policies and practices must be adapted to embrace the diversity of the dominant values represented in an organization’s work force. Trends in the Nature of Jobs and Work Major changes have been occurring in the nature of jobs and work, in part as a response to a number of the environmental challenges already discussed. Telecommuting, is the use of microcomputers, networks, and other communications technology (such as fax machines) to perform in the home work that is traditionally done in the workplace. Many firms are using more contingent employees–defined as workers who do not have regular full-time or part-time employment status–to handle vacation and leave coverage, peak-period demands, extra workload, and specialized tasks or assignments. Included are contract workers, seasonal workers, casual and non-regular part-time employees, temporary employees, independent contractors (freelancers), consultants, and leased employees.108 Contingent workers currently account for about 12 percent of all jobs in Australia, a figure that is expected to reach 25 percent by 2010.109 There are more regular part-time employees in Australia than ever before. These are individuals who work fewer hours than fulltime core employees, typically during peak periods (such as evenings and weekends in retail stores and restaurants). Approximately 33 percent of all employed women work part-time: two-thirds of them by preference, and the other one third because they were unable to obtain full-time employment.112 The fact that part-time workers are often paid less than their full-time counterparts–and may not have benefits coverage–has raised some major equity concerns. Small businesses, classified as firms with fewer than 50 employees, whether sole proprietorships, partnerships or corporations, are a large and increasingly important part of the Australian economy. A Service Society Employment trends in Australia have been experiencing dramatic change. The primary sector, which includes agriculture, fishing and trapping, forestry, and mining, now represents only 2.8 percent of jobs. While the secondary  sector (manufacturing and construction) has grown In common with trends in Western Europe and the U.S., the sector of the Australian economy accounting for the greatest growth in recent decades is the tertiary or service sector, which includes public administration, personal and business services, finance, trade, public utilities, and transportation/communications. While much of this growth is attributable to rapid technological change (initially in the form of automation and more recently in improvements in IT), part is due to an increase in outsourcing of particular activities by primary- and secondary-sector firms to decrease costs and increase efficiency. Subcontracted functions range from building maintenance to provision of security, cafeteria management and laundry services to payroll and training and development. Since all jobs in this sector involve the provision of service, often in person but increasingly through the design, installation, and maintenance of service-providing technologies (such as automated banking machines and cable television), effectively managing and motivating human resources is critical. Although there are some lesser-skilled jobs (in housekeeping and food services, for example), many service-sector jobs demand knowledge workers, employees who transform information into a product or service, whose responsibilities include planning, problem solving, and decision making. Knowledge Work and Human Capital Management expert Peter Drucker has said that â€Å"the foundation of an organization is not money or capital or technology–it’s knowledge and education (human capital). By 2005, knowledge workers will be the single largest group in the labour force.†116 He is not alone in this belief. Many experts believe that the distinguishing characteristic of companies today and tomorrow is this growing emphasis on human capital. Jobs today in all sectors demand a level of expertise far beyond that required of most workers 20 or 30 years ago, which means that human capital is quickly replacing machines as the basis for most firms’ success. Furthermore, it is not  unusual for more than one-quarter of sales to come from products less than five years old. As a result, â€Å"innovating–creating new products, new services, and new ways of turning out goods more cheaply–has become the most urgent concern of corporations everywhere.†11 For managers, the challenge of fostering intellectual or human capital lies in the fact that knowledge workers must be managed differently than workers of previous generations. New HRM systems and skills are required to select and train such employees, encourage self-discipline, win employee commitment, and spark creativity. Apple computers is one organization that has learned how to encourage creativity and access the skills and ideas of all of its employees:118 Technology It is mainly through technological innovation that firms develop new products and services and/or improve existing ones in order to remain competitive, and gain the productivity and quality needed for competitive advantage. Manufacturing advances, such as robotics and computer-aided design / computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), have eliminated many blue-collar jobs, replacing them with fewer but more highly skilled jobs. When robots were introduced in the automobile industry, for instance, there was a major decrease in the demand for welders and painters, but a new demand for technicians who could program, install, and service automated equipment.89 Due to computer technology, similar changes have been occurring in the nature of office work. Optical scanners, computerized x-ray scanners, and Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) are technological advances that have caused major occupational changes in the medical field over the past few decades, and such advances are being made every d ay. Currently, for example, a few doctors are attempting to revolutionize heart surgery using computer assistance and robotic arms.90 The overall impact of the technological changes affecting almost every field is that labour-intensive blue-collar and clerical jobs have been decreasing, while technical, managerial, and professional jobs are on the increase. This shift in employment opportunities has many implications for organizations: jobs and organization  structures are being redesigned; new incentive and compensation plans are being instituted; revised job descriptions are being written; and new programs are being instituted for employee selection, evaluation, and training/retraining–all with the help of HR specialists. Unfortunately, the training of the Australian labour force has not kept pace with the rate of technological change and innovation. Consequently, there is a scarcity of skills in certain fields. Many Australian firms, such as Telstra, inevitably have to look outside of Australia to fill their high-tech openings, which is rather disturbing given the fact that there are currently about 1.1 million Australians seeking employment. While much of the impact of information technology has been positive, it has also led to some organizational problems. For many employees, it has created anxiety, tension, resentment, and alienation. Unions have consistently expressed concerns about job displacement and health hazards, such as those related to video display terminals. All of these issues must be addressed through effective HRM practices such as information sharing, counselling, ergonomic refitting, job redesign, and training. Information technology has also hastened what experts call the â€Å"fall of hierarchy,† or promotion of egalitarianism. Power and authority are spread more evenly among all employees. For example, with â€Å"distributed computing,† every employee with a personal computer on his or her desk can tap into the firm’s computer network and obtain needed information. Expecting employees to make more decisions has implications for selection, training, and compensation. Questions concerning data control, accuracy, right to privacy, and ethics are at the core of a growing controversy brought about by the new information technologies. Sophisticated computerized control systems are used to monitor employee speed, accuracy, and efficiency in some firms, including IBM Australia. More and more firms are also monitoring employee e-mail, voice  mail, telephone conversations, and computer usage, and some now monitor employee behaviour using video surveillance.94 Reasons for such monitoring include eliminating time wastage, deterring abuse of company resources, protecting network security, preventing misappropriation of company resources, ensuring compliance with health and safety standards and regulations and other legislation, and monitoring employee behaviour and performance. Employers considering monitoring employees should be aware that doing so may present both practical and legal problems: such monitoring may have counterproductive results such as increased job stress, decreased morale and productivity, lowered employee self-esteem, and decreased trust in and respect for the employer Setting up and maintaining a monitoring system may involve significant economic costs surveillance of employees in the workplace raises the controversial legal issue of employee privacy rights. Human Resources Information Systems Changing technology has also had major implications for HR departments. Over the past few decades, many firms introduced a Human Resources Information System (HRIS) to store detailed information on employees, HR policies and procedures, government laws and regulations, collective agreements, etc. HRIS computer applications include: salary and benefits administration; tracking statistics on absenteeism, grievances, and health and safety; collecting data for government statistical reporting and employment equity purposes; advertising jobs and recruiting candidates; and communicating with employees. Computers are now being used not only for storage, retrieval and analysis of information but for broader applications, including basic report production, long-range forecasting and strategic planning, and evaluation of HR policies and practices. Such systems can decrease time lost to comparatively non-productive work like data entry and employee scheduling, thereby providing time for HR department employees and managers throughout the firm  to focus on more strategic issues. Today, many Australian firms, are utilizing computer technology even more extensively by introducing a Human Resources Management System (HRMS), defined as an information management system accessible to staff at all levels, designed to ensure that the organization’s human resources are recruited, selected, developed, employed, deployed, and supported effectively. Functional applications include succession planning, pension plan projections and eligibility monitoring, interactive employee retirement training, and more. Self-service applications for employees and managers ensure that information reaches those who need it, with one-time data entry, less maintenance, and improved quality and accuracy. Government Various laws enacted by governments have had and will continue to have a dramatic impact on the employer-employee relationship in Australia. In one recent survey, 70 percent of the HR specialists responding cited changing regulatory requirements as a major factor altering their work environment. The legal framework for employment includes: constitutional law, particularly the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; acts of parliament; common law, which is the accumulation of judicial precedents that do not derive from specific pieces of legislation; and contract law, which governs collective agreements and individual employment contracts. Such laws impose specific requirements and constraints on management policies, procedures, and practices. Some of the employment-related legislation is aimed at prohibiting discrimination in various aspects and terms and conditions of employment, such as human rights, employment equity, and pay equity. Other laws require employers to meet certain obligations, such as occupational health and safety, employment standards, and labour relations. Still others make various payments mandatory, such as Workers’ Compensation, Employment Insurance, and the Australia Superannuation Plans. All of the laws mentioned above and their regulations have important  implications for all managers, since they must: Stay abreast of legislative developments is a major ongoing responsibility. Often, the HR department staff members play a major role in helping other managers to remain current by circulating reading material or holding seminars. Develop and administer policies and practices that ensure compliance to avoid loss of government contracts, suits by affected employees or regulatory bodies, fines, and bad publicity. Try to ensure that compliance does not interfere with the efficient and effective accomplishment of their other responsibilities. This means finding ways to comply with regulatory requirements with as little cost and disruption as possible. For example, many firms have developed manuals, videotapes, and self-administered quizzes, such that employees can study independently at home or at work during off-peak times, and submit their completed quizzes for evaluation and verification of training completion. Bibliography 1. Baron, J.N. and Kreps, D.M. (1999) ‘Consistent human resourcepractices’,California Management Review, 41(3), pp.29-53. 2. De Cieri, H. and Kramar, R. (2003) Human Resource Management in Australia; strategy, people, performance, McGraw Hill Australia. 3. Dessler, Griffiths and Lloyd-Walker (2004), Human Resource Management, 2nd ed, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W. : Prentice Hall Australia 4. Heneman, H.G, Donald P. Schwab, D.P (eds) (1978), Perspectives on personnel/human resource management, Homewood, Ill : R. D. Irwin, 1978 5. Lansbury, R.D. and M. Baird (2004) ‘Broadening the horizons of HRM: Lessons for Australia from the US experience’ Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42(2), pp.147-155. 6. Mirabal, N. and De Young, R. (2005) ‘Downsizing as a Strategic Intervention’ Journal of American Academy of Business, 6(1), pp.39-45. 7. Nankervis A., Compton and Baird (2005) Human Resource Management: strategies and processes, 5th ed.,Thomson, Southbank, Victoria Australia 8. Stone, R. J, (2005) Human resource management, Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia, ch 1 9. Travaglione, A. and Marshall, V. (eds) (2000) Human Resource Strategies: An Applied Approach, Irwin/McGraw Hill, Roseville. 10. Todd, T and Crake. A, Human Resource Management 237, lecture notes (2005) 11. Young, S. (2000) ‘Outsourcing: Lessons From the Literature’ Labour and Industry, 10(3), pp.97-118.

Sex Tourism in Thailand Essays

Sex Tourism in Thailand Essays Sex Tourism in Thailand Paper Sex Tourism in Thailand Paper The Southeast Asian region is one of the most dynamic tourist destinations in the world. Hordes of Western visitors visit the region for its scenic spots, warm climate, and unique culture. This influx of visitors creates employment opportunities for the locals and augments the income of the poor. More importantly, tourists bring with them currencies that are needed by countries to engage in international trade. In Thailand, tourism revenue amounts to six percent of the countrys gross domestic product of US$196. 6 billion. While tourism is greatly encouraged for the benefits it brings to the countries of destination, it also has its dark side. Not all of the tourists who visit Asia are in the region to do what ordinary tourists do. Some of them are in Asia to seek a different kind of entertainment that traditional tours dont provide. Men, being enterprising by nature, have created another purpose for tourism by linking it with prostitution in what is commonly known as the sex tourism industry. As the term implies, it uses commercial sex as a come-on to visitors. Thus, tours are not solely organised to visit historical venues and picturesque spots, theyre also conducted to provide foreigners access to the red light districts. Sex tourism is loosely defined as engaging the services of prostitutes for carnal pleasures typically by tourists from affluent countries. The United Nations World Tourism Organization unit describes sex tourism as organised trips under the guise of common tours with the primary purpose of providing tourists commercial sexual activities with residents in a particular destination. Despite the enactment of an anti-children prostitute law, minors are still engaged in this trade. Sownia Nairs essay written for the U. S. Department of Justice in 2007 and the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington will be cited to provide perspective on the issue. Like other studies, this paper found a correlation between poverty and prostitution. But in addition, this paper will also probe if sex workers are willing participants or theyre doing the trade for other reasons. In this regard, Justin Halls Prostitution in Thailand and South East Asia will be cited to relate women experiences in the trade. A study conducted by Cholthira Satyawadhna will also be referenced in explaining gender-based labor division in Thailand and its relation to prostitution. Health concerns will always be involved when commercial sex is the issue. Thai sex workers are among the worlds high-risk groups to contact the deadly HIV/AIDS virus. In the late 1980s, an AIDS epidemic spread throughout Thailand as sex workers and drug dependents who were infected spread the disease to their customers, wives, husbands, partners and children. As a result, the government launched a massive campaign to control the situation. A report from the international organisation AVERT and other groups are used to trace how AIDS spread in Thailand and what control measures where implemented by the government to stop the disease. Sex Tourism 6 Prostitution: History Current Situation Chinese voyager Ma Huan alluded in 1433 about a certain practice by some Thai people that could be likened to prostitution. In 1604, Dutch visitors to the country have certainly mentioned in their records that there are whores in Siam (Thailands old name). There are no records, however, that points to how this trade exactly started. The point is, prostitution has long been practiced in the country. Anthony Reid, a distinguished Australian scholar of Southeast Asian history, has cited that what appears to be the beginning of brothels in the country was in the 1680s when a Thai official was given a monopoly to run a prostitution den using hundreds of slave women as sex workers. During those times, majority of the customers were locals and some were Chinese. In the twentieth century, Western involvement in Thailands sex trade began when American soldiers came to the country during their rest and relaxation period from the Vietnam War to find solace and entertainment, which they generally found on cabarets with English names. These clubs have thousands of hostesses that the soldiers can have in exchange for a sum of money. As for the Japanese people, it was the soldiers in the Second World War that first came in contact with the Thai sex workers. In fact, it was the Japanese conquerors who forced women from captive lands to engage in sex.

Reality in Jean Genet’s ‘the Balcony’ Essay Essays

Reality in Jean Genet’s ‘the Balcony’ Essay Essays Reality in Jean Genet’s ‘the Balcony’ Essay Essay Reality in Jean Genet’s ‘the Balcony’ Essay Essay Jean Genet’s Le Balcon ( or The Balcony ) is an absurdist drama in which the chief construction is the â€Å"philosophical conflict between semblance and reality† ( Savona 1983: 76 ) and this essay will look into some of the degrees of world within an absurdist and existential philosopher context in Genet’s drama. The drama itself â€Å"offers a stunningly theatrical geographic expedition of the relationship between phantasy and reality† ( Patterson 2005: 32 ) whilst besides seeking â€Å"to negate world itself† ( Innes 2001: 438 ) . Whilst besides trying to transform world into a fantasy universe in which its characters can get away the discouragement of day-to-day life. it is â€Å"also designed to be a moving drama which†¦ keeps the audience aware that it is a play† they are watching and non leting them to acquire lost in the universe of semblance. phantasy and desire that the characters are trapped in ( Reck 1962: 23 ) . This echoes a technique used as portion of Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt. and by maintaining the witness at a critical distance. they become perceivers and therefore can larn something about their ain lives and the universe in which they live. The drama is set in Madame Irma’s Maison d’illusions ( or house of semblances ) which to the witness is clearly a whorehouse. but non a whorehouse in the conventional sense. In the whorehouse. work forces of mundane walks of life ( for illustration a pipe fitter ) act out sexual phantasies with the adult females that work at that place. Their sexual phantasies are by no agencies conventional either. for illustration the ‘clients’ of the whorehouses take on the character of powerful work forces. viz. a bishop. an executioner. a justice and a general. From the expounding of the drama. it is ill-defined that the bishop isn’t really a bishop as the costume. duologue and action of the bishop are wholly reliable aside from the fact that the powerful characters â€Å"tower over all the other histrions every bit good as the audience† ( McMahon 1963: 110 ) . This is visually unrealistic and takes the witness off from pragmatism right from the oncoming. yet somehow pull them into this universe of semblance. The sexual Acts of the Apostless were intended by Genet to incorporate significance and non to be realistic. They are merely projections. a series of images of adult male trapped in a hall of mirrors. non trying to convey naturalism in the slightest ( McMahon 1963: 176 ) and the characters’ â€Å"performance becomes contemplations of reflections† ( Innes 2001: 438 ) . As Esslin provinces in his The Theatre of the Absurd. â€Å"there are no characters in the conventional sense†¦merely the images of basic impulses and impulses† ( Esslin 2001: 22 ) . Image is of cardinal importance in the drama ; it is everything â€Å"for the deeper one moves into images the less danger there will be of reality’s coming back to oppugn the veracity of the images† ( McMahon 1963: 162 ) . One of the cardinal subjects of the drama is the flight from world. and as T. S Eliot wrote â€Å"human sort can non bear much reality† ( 1964: 69 ) . one of the cardinal messages Genet is seeking to portray in his drama. There is a strong sense of the histrion unifying with the character in The Balcony ( Savona 1983: 86 ) . or the character unifying with the phantasy characters they attempt to portray in the whorehouse. or characters they so long to be. even for merely an hr or so. This unauthentic relationship between world and phantasy reflects human nature and life itself – we have all at some point aspired. or even wished that we could be person else. person with power or regard. However as McMahon suggests â€Å"there is no aspiration within the motive of these people to be bishop. justice or general ; the bound of their aspirations knows its scope. and the cutting off point†¦is the thin line between pretension and reality† ( 1963: 160 ) . The drama takes a bend when the clients of the whorehouse are forced to take on the characters they are feigning to be for existent. It is at this point that the semblance is destroyed and the work forces of mundane life no longer want the functions they are playing. For them. the functions are now excessively realistic and there is no flight from them – the relationship between world and phantasy has become reliable. When the characters are moving out their functions in the existent universe. they are no longer comforted by their imaginativeness ; they are faced with the rough world of life. the one thing that they have sought to get away in the first topographic point. This is reinforced by the fact the characters are loath to help the head of constabulary and be â€Å"dragged from their dream universe into the abrasiveness and dangers of reality† ( Thody 1970: 186-187 ) . The revolution outside can be seen as a symbol of existent life. â€Å"Were it non for the revolution. the assorted characters could go on to play their games in the enclosed a-historical ambiance provided for them†¦but the revolution is at that place. and threatens at any minute to destruct their universe of semblance completely† ( Thody 1970: 179 ) . During the drama. assorted sounds of gunshot can be heard in the background of the scenes – A menace from the existent universe outside reminding the characters they have tried to get away life and whilst this may be successful for the hr they are in the whorehouse. existent life is still traveling out outdoors. â€Å"Machine gun fire efforts to sabotage the thaumaturgy of semblance created and reflects Brecht’s distancing effect† ( Savona 1983: 89 ) . Once once more Genet forces the witness to retrieve that they are watching a drama. but besides when we all hide behind the frontage of life. or seek and get away world. the existent universe is still really much at big in the background and we can’t ignore this! â€Å"The subject of semblance reaches its flood tide at the very terminal of the action. when Madame Irma comes to the forepart of the phase to remind the audience that they have. after all. merely been watching a play† ( Thody 1970: 185 ) . The witness is all of a sudden brought back to ‘the existent word’ holding witnessed histrions playing characters. characters playing characters. characters playing people. The audience has taken the journey through Madam Irma’s ‘house of illusions’ . and has been presented with a theatrical projection of humanity through many planes of world. She tells the audience â€Å"you must now travel place. where everything – you can be rather certain – will be falser than here†¦You must now go† ( Genet 1966: 96 ) . She has highlighted that as worlds we have a inclination to conceal behind the frontage of life. to travel along with what we are told and what we see. therefore taking life for granted. We so think back to the characters in the drama and gain how they are merely projections of ourselves. â€Å"Genet proclaims the semblance of world and the world of illusion† ( Nelson 1963: 61 ) . For the witness and the characters â€Å"reality has become indiscernible from illusion† ( Nelson 1963: 65 ) and the audience must inquire themselves where does reality stop and pretension Begins. BIBLIOGRAPHY Eliot. T. S. . Murder in the Cathedral ( Fort Washington PA: Harvest Books. 1964 ) Esslin. Martin. The Theatre of the Absurd. 3rd Edition ( London: Metheun. 2001 ) . Genet. Jean. The Balcony ( New York: Grove Press. 1966 ) Innes. Christopher. ‘Theatre After Two World Wars’ . in The Oxford Illustrated History of the Theatre. erectile dysfunction. by John Russell Brown ( Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2001 ) . pp. 380-444. Macquarrie. John. Existentialism ( Baltimore: Pelican Books. 1972 ) McMahon. Joseph H. . The Imagination of Jean Genet ( New Haven: Yale University Press. 1963 ) Nelson. Banjamin. ‘The Balcony and Parisian Existentialism’ . The Tulane Drama Review. 7:3 ( 1963 ) . 60-79. Oswald. Laura. Jean Genet and the Semiotics of Performance ( Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. 1989 ) Patterson. Michael. The Oxford Dictionary of Plays ( Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2005 ) Reck. Rima Drell. ‘Appearance and Reality in Genet’s Le Balcon’ . The New Dramatists. 29:1 ( 1962 ) . 20-25. Savona. Jeannette L. . Jean Genet ( London and Basingstoke: The Macmillan Press. 1983 ) Styan. J. L. . The English Stage ( Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1996 ) Thody. Philip. Jean Genet: A Survey of His Novels and Plays ( New York: Stein and Day. 1970 ) .