Story of an Immigrant :: Sudan Lost Boys Immigration Essays Papers

Story of an Immigrant The focus of this paper is Shimma. His tribal home is in Sudan. He is believed to be 21 and has resided as a refugee in the USA since August 2001. He is known as a â€Å"Lost Boy of Sudan.† I met Shimma while shopping at Wal-Mart in central Phoenix. I had been fascinated by the reports of the Lost Boys that I had heard on TV and read in the newspapers. I knew that some of the Lost Boys were being relocated to Phoenix and hoped to meet some of them along the way on my travels through out Phoenix. I had seen them at bus stops and around the city walking. They have a very distinctive appearance, not your typical African-Americans. They are tall and thin with high cheekbones and dark black skin tone. While shopping at Wal-Mart I rounded a corner and there he stood tall, dark and smiling. I got excited about finally meeting one of the Lost Boys and began to ramble. I introduced myself and inquired into his status as one of the Lost Boys. He introduced himself and confirmed that he was indeed one of the Lost Boys I had been reading and hearing about. I asked him for an interview and he offered his name and telephone number. I repeatedly tried to contact him and weeks later he agreed to meet me at a local restaurant. The day of our interview after many phone calls he arrived over an hour late, which I accounted for as cultural time difference. Shimma is a very busy man. He works at Wal-Mart and attends ESL classes two days a week at Phoenix Community College. Much of our study in this anthropology class has centered on voluntary immigration due to economic circumstances. Shimma did not migrate for economic reasons, he is a refugee seeking safety and sanctuary from his war ravaged country. The book that we read in class about refugees was a case study that considered the plight of the Hmong in Wisconsin. The Hmong are refugees from Laos who fled after US forces pulled out of the Vietnam War. I also read a book about the Hmong that dealt with a case study in California and a little girl of Hmong descent that encountered great difficulties with the medical institutions after she was diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Employee Relations

PREFACE It is a matter of honour for me to present my findings on Employee Relations. This report is an honest earnest effort to study Employee Relations as an important tool of Human Resource Management. I got an opportunity to work at GPI for my summers which instigated initiated the idea of the project. I started with reading HRM by Ashwathapa which gave me a foundation to HUMAN RESOURCES as a function. Later I surfed the net for more specific information and browsed through a variety of HR policies of companies. It gave me a brief knowledge about Employee Relations and I formed a questionnaire for the companies I was going to research on. Some articles that caught my attention while doing research are included in my observations. To add spice to this dish, I have also scaled the practices of Employee Relations in other countries. Since I was working at GPI, gathering information was easier compared to others. I have found some interesting insights regarding Employee Relations which are mentioned in the report. So, with due respect to my patient readers, I welcome you to the unremitting process of Employee Relations. STUDY OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS |Sr. no. |TOPIC |PAGE NO. | |I |Executive summary |3 | |1 |Human Resources Management |5 | |2 |EMPLOYEE RELATIONS |8 | |2. |Introduction |8 | |2. 2 |Overview |9 | |3 |Employee Relations in brief |11 | |3. 1 |Downward Relation (employer to employees) |11 | |3. 1. 1 |Training and induction |11 | |3. . 2 |Benefits |12 | | |Incentives and allowance | | | |Monetary benefits | | | |Medical facilities to staff | | |3. . 3 |Safety | | |3. 1. 4 |Career Development |13 | |3. 1. 5 |Recreation facilities and stress management |13 | |3. 1. 6 |Collective problem solving. bargaining) |13 | |3. 1. 7 |Involvement and engagement |14 | |3. 1. 8 | Rewards and recognition |15 | |3. 2 |Upward communication (employee to employer) |15 | |3. . 1 |Feedback |15 | |3. 2. 2 |Performance appraisal |15 | |3. 3 |Horizontal Relation (amongst Employees) |16 | |3. 3. |Annual events and magazines |16 | |3. 3. 2 |Welfare activities |16 | |4 |Advantages of maintaining Good Employe e Relations |17 | |5 |Role and scope of Human resources. 19 | |6 |GODFREY PHILLIPS INDIA LTD |20 | |7 |PARLE INDIA LIMITED |31 | |8 |TAJ LANDS END |39 | |9 |Comparative study |47 | |10 |Worldwide Employee Relations |51 | |11 |Personal observation. |58 | |12 |Conclusion |61 | I. Executive summary The objective of the report is to have an overview of HRM and Employee Relations at GODFREY PHILLIPS INDIA LTD. (Andheri), TAJ LANDS END (Bandra) and at PARLE PRODUCTS PRIVATE LTD. (Vile Parle). The objective was to analyze Employee Relations at a plant factory and in the service sector. The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is maintaining amicable relations with the workforce. Both the sectors are such where employees become the crux of all operations. For the plant (factory), it is the employee who works on the machine. Even at PARLE, where most of the operations are automated, workers need to operate the machines. At the hospitality sector, it is the employee who communicates with the guest. The behaviour of the employee gives inkling about the company. Thus it is very important to maintain cordial relations with the workforce. The goal of Employee Relations is to end up with a productive and motivated employee that will help effectiveness. Following the introduction to Employee Relations is a brief overview of how Employee Relations has evolved as an activity. Following that in chapter 6 are the advantages of maintaining good employee relations. The importance of HR department, HR mission and the activities of the department for Employee Relations are detailed. According to me, HR department gets concerned in 3 types of relations. First the employer to the employee, second employees to employer and third is amongst the employees. There is comprehensive information on all 3 and how it benefits the company. The report gives a brief introduction about the companies. It has knowledge about the history of the company, vision, core values and the Corporate Social Responsibility activities initiated by the company. Following this is the organization structure. In addition, I have also studied the practices at other countries like Japan, UK and USA for Employee Relations. This includes the different procedures for Employee Relations, their trade unions and the laws regulating the same. The report ends with my personal observations about each company and some articles that caught my attention while research. Conclusion about employee relations ends my report In order to achieve the above mentioned objective and finish the study to perfection, the methodology used was a balance of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources were the personal visits to the companies and secondary was the information collected from websites. To facilitate this, I started with reading a few books on Employee Relations and human resources to understand the basic concept of Employee Relations. I also browsed the net to find more detailed information on specific topics. I practically saw the HR department at GPI work and Later, I formed a questionnaire on various practices to understand the functioning of HR department at other companies. A sample of these companies was chosen on the basis of their scale of operations, reputation and quick accessibility. 1. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Human Resource Management is an integral part of management. It helps the management in taking a strategic view of a very important resource i. e. Human Resource. It helps management in identifying key skill sets, knowledge, values required in the employee and the rewards that are needed to be given to the employees so that the organisation goals are fulfilled. Also like other management functions, it has to ensure that these resources are available at an optimal cost. It has to look into various training and development activities to ensure this. This is a key area for Human Resource Management as it shows their contribution in terms of money. The money here would be the opportunity cost incurred due to appointing of new employees instead of developing current employees for the task in hand. Functions From recruiting to orienting new employees, from writing job descriptions to tracking vacation and sick leave, and from instituting and monitoring policies to monitoring benefits, there has been a need for an HR generalist to assist senior management in both establishing a â€Å"structure† to holding down costs of administration. HRM is a function that helps manager’s recruit, select, train, and develop employees for an organization. 1. Human Resource Planning: is understood as the process of forecasting an organizations future demand for, and supply of, the right type of people in the right number. 2. Job Analysis: is the process of studying and collecting information relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job. The immediate products of this analysis are job descriptions and job specification. 3. Recruitment: is the process of finding and attracting capable applicants for employment. The process begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications are submitted. The result is a pool of applicants from which new employees are selected. 4. Selection: is the process of differentiating between applicants in order to identify (and hire) those with greater likelihood of success in a job. 5. Placement: is understood as the allocation of people to jobs. It is the assignment or re-assignment of an employee to a new or different job. 6. Training and development: It is an attempt to improve current or future employee performance by increasing an employee’s ability to perform through learning, usually by changing the employee’s attitude or increasing his or her skills and knowledge. The need for training and development is determined by employee’s performance deficiency, computed as follows: Training and development need = Standard performance – Actual performance 7. Remuneration: is the compensation an employee receives in return for his or her contribution to the organization. 8. Motivation: is a process that starts with a psychological or physiological deficiency or need that activates behavior or a drive that is aimed at a goal or an incentive. 9. Participative management: Workers participation may broadly be taken to cover all terms of association of workers and their representatives with the decision making process, ranging from exchange of information, consultations, decisions and negotiations to more institutionalized forms such as the presence of workers members on management or supervisory boards or even management by workers themselves as practiced in Yugoslavia. ((ILO) 10. Communication: may be understood as the process of exchanging information, and understanding among people. 11. Safety and health: Safety means freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury or loss. In order to ensure the continuing good health of their employees, the HRM focuses on the need for healthy workers and health services. 12. Welfare: as defined by ILO at its Asian Regional Conference, defined labour welfare as a term which is understood to include such services, facilities, and amenities as may be established in or in the vicinity of undertakings to enable the person employed in them to perform their work in healthy, congenial surroundings and to provide them with amenities conducive to good health and high morale. 13. Transfer: involves a change in the job (accompanied by a change in the place of the job) of an employee without a change in the responsibilities or remuneration. 14. Separations: Lay-offs, resignations and dismissals separate employees from the employers. 15. Employee Relations: is concerned with the systems, rules and procedures used by unions and employers to determine the reward for effort and other conditions of employment, to protect the interests of the employed and their employers, and to regulate the ways in which employers treat their employees. 16. Disputes and their settlement: Industrial disputes mean any dispute or difference between employers and employers, or between employers and workmen, or between workmen and workmen, which is connected with the employment or non-employment or terms of employment or with the conditions of labour of any person. 2. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS 2. 1 Introduction People in organisations interact with each other during work, formally and officially as well as socially and informally. During the course of interaction, relationships develop, which are invisible connecting links, coloured by emotions of love, hate, repulsion, respect, fear, anxiety and so on. These are usually mutual but not necessarily reciprocal. If A hates B, it does not follow that B hates A. It is possible that B loves A and even sympathizes with his thoughts. Relationships imply feelings for each other. They may be positive (friendly, wanting to be close) or negative (unfriendly, wanting to be distant). Relationships always exist between interacting persons. There is no neutral point. Indifference is not neutral. Indifference tends to be negative. Relationships influence behaviours at work. Expectations of each other, perceptions of the intentions of either, distributions of assignments, readiness to conform or to rebel, enthusiasm to contribute, etc. , are to some extent outcomes of these relationships. Attitudes and motivations influence, and are influenced by, the nature of these relationships. Employees are among an organization's most important audiences with the potential to be its most effective ambassadors. Employee Relations are practices or initiatives for ensuring that Employees are happy and are productive. Employee Relations offers assistance in a variety of ways including employee recognition, policy development and interpretation, and all types of problem solving and dispute resolution. Once there was a time when â€Å"Employee Relations† meant labor relations everywhere around the world. Negotiate. Orchestrate. Dictate. HR professionals helped negotiate collective bargaining agreements. The provisions of that contract defined the relationship between management, unions, and workers. Today, Employee Relations is a much broader concept. It involves maintaining a work environment that satisfies the needs of individual employees and management. Improving employee morale, building company culture, conveying expectations 2. 2 Overview An effective employee relation involves creating and cultivating a motivated and productive workforce. People are generally motivated from within, but what can you do to help foster the type of environment where employees thrive, enabling your company to outperform the competition â€Å"Employee Relations† starts with determining the type of workplace the company wants. It starts by considering what the company wants its employees to say about working for the company. In a competitive market, it is important to that employees don’t feel that they might be treated more fairly elsewhere. After all retention is one of the major functions of HRM. By considering what the company wants employees to say about working for it gives shape to the company’s culture. The company culture conveys organization's core values to its employees, customers, vendors, and community. In addition to the workplace climate, the company also considers the types of processes or systems it wants to employ within the workplace to support the company culture and enhance the working relationship that exists between the company and its workforce. Such systems could include communications, policies, training, and development. Also, an essential step in building effective Employee Relations is to evaluate the human, financial and other resources available that reinforce the values and guiding principles the company wants echoed throughout the organization. For example, what type of supervisors and managers does it believe can bring out the best in people and projects? The company should also make certain from the start that employees are not in counter productive work environments where work is more arduous than it needs to be. Is the workplace compliant with employment law? A major source of frustration for employees is the feeling that they were treated unfairly. Good liability management tools are necessary to ensure that the company avoids unnecessary confrontations, time wasters and costly legal battles Traditionally Employee Relations programs were centered around labor union relations. Today, Employee Relations does not necessarily involve unions. However, it does involve cultivating the leadership style and workplace practices that help make union organizing activities a less attractive option for employees. Establishing workplace and management principles set the stage for fostering a successful work climate and establishing your company's culture. Effective Employee Relations is about establishing processes that address and nurture that culture. Employees in such organisations develop attitudes very different from those in another organisation that does not make any such distinction and is more secular in its policies. These different attitudes will be reflected in their behaviours outside the organisation and will either strengthen or weaken the social fabric. An organisation in which authority is highly centralised and does not allow its people enough discretion, will develop among its people tendencies for dependency and inability to take responsibility. These tendencies are handicaps in their roles as parents or citizens. The extent of concern shown for the effect of working conditions on employees’ health has an impact on the society, not merely in terms of general health and costs on medical care, but also in terms of the kind of activities that the members of the society participate in. When an organisation is sensitive to its impact on society, and responds to the society’s concerns, it is said to be socially responsive. On the contrary, if it is concerned only with its own purposes and ignores the impact that it has on society, it is said to be socially not responsive Relationships also contribute to stress and conflicts at work, which in turn, affect quality of work life of individuals as well as the quality of organizational outputs, measured in terms of customer satisfaction, competitive advantage, innovation, and so on. 3. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS IN BRIEF According to me, Employee Relations can be classified in 3 types, with HRM intervening. First is the downward communication flowing from employer to the employees Second is upward flowing from employees to employer and Third is horizontal communication amongst the employees. 1. Downward communication (employer to employees) 3. 1. 1. Training and Induction Every new employee needs a company orientation, but most supervisors forget that employees also need to be orientated to the company's VISION in addition to learning their coworkers' names, company policies, and what not to eat in the cafeteria. The company's vision statement tells the employee where the company is going, what their role will be, and how success and achievement will be measured. Achieving great performance in the company is a journey, not a destination. For any business to succeed one must first recognize that the people are the greatest asset, and service is your most valuable product. Continuous improvement by training and developing employees is critical for business survival. Recent U. S. orkforce demographics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics make a compelling case for businesses of all sizes to begin planning for ongoing training of employees. Experts project that 60% of new jobs in the early 21st century will require skills possessed by only 20% of to day’s workforce. Technology is raising the skill level requirements for the best and fastest growing jobs, but schools and adult learning programs are not keeping pace. The likely result is that demand for highly skilled workers will outstrip the supply of qualified workers in the coming years. These statistics would seem to move training and employee development to the list of services in high demand. 2. Benefits Benefits often have a higher impact on employee recruitment and retention than compensation. Employees who know their needs are met are also more likely to contribute to a positive morale. Besides the customary Allowance like †¢ For Workers Attendance bonus, Over Time Allowance which is double the Basic, House Rent Allowance, Education Allowance, Conveyance Allowance which is fixed as per 6 scales of the workers, and Leave Travel Allowance amongst others. †¢ For Staff (Basic)TA/DA, Attendance Bonus, Production Incentive, Over Time Allowance which is equal to one and half times, House Rent Allowance, Education, Leave Travel Allowance, and Annual Bonus amongst others. ( Sodexho Meal Vouchers, medical reimbursement ) Companies also provide Monetary Benefits, ( Insurance) and Medical Facilities to the workforce. 3. Safety Health and safety risks may arise from physically dangerous work, such as work with hazardous machinery or relate to less immediately visible factors such as exposure to pollution. Accidents and ill health may ruin or seriously impair the lives of employees and their dependents. An employer must encompass necessary safety measures for the trust from the employee. 4. Career Development and job opportunities Career Paths are constructed in order to determine the optimum movement and utilization of people in the organisation. Therefore, due care should be given to various elements of the position – including job analysis and the competency requirements at each stage. 5. Stress management and Recreation facilities Working Hours and Holidays need to reflect an adequate balance of the quality of work life of all employees. It is recognized that for certain categories of employees business related work may transcend the routine office timings; whilst for other categories business may be purely confined to the work hours and timings. The quotation â€Å"all work and no play can make jack a dull boy† is apt for the company to understand the importance of recreation facilities. 6. Collective problem solving It is the duty of the HR to find ways of resolving issues between employees on one hand and employees and Management on the other. As long as there are human beings at the work place there would always be need for arbitration amongst them. It is at this time that HR should use the â€Å"grape vine channel† to its advantage and call officers to a round table for reconciliation and if it is between workers and Management should ways of brokering peace. Although the trade unions are expected to only deal with matters concerning workers, it can be argued that everything that happens within a company, including product development and business strategies, affect workers one way or other and trade unions have gradually sought to extend their areas of concerns. The management’s attempts to contest such expansions on the ground of â€Å"management prerogative† have by and large not succeeded. These activities involve a number of skills crucial to human resource managers. HR specialists are also involved in issues which are considerably legislated and touch on home life and health as well as more familiar workplace topics such as discipline and conflict. 7. Involvement and Engagement Participation of employees has been a subject of discussion since the 1930s when Elton Mayo’s experiments led to the development of the human relations school. Participation can be and has been provided in the structure of the organisations. Participative management involves associating employees at every level in the decision making process. Participation may be at the board level, collective bargaining, job enlargement, job enrichment, suggestion schemes, quality circles, and empowered teams. Participative management is also called Employee involvement. The Industrial Disputes Act provided for participation in the management of the shop floor. Representatives of the workers would be appointed to various committees to decide upon matters affecting the worker at the shop floor. The rationale behind the concept of involving workers in bodies that decide on matters concerning them is that the principle of democracy The lesson is that the advantages from the practice of participation cannot be derived from creating appropriate structures alone. The nature of the processes within the structures, are important. At the basic level, calling for suggestions is participation. In terms of Hertzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, participation in decision making is a powerful motivator, because in that process, there is recognition and achievement, a sense of being wanted, of being important. Employees may also reduce turnover and absences when they begin to feel that working conditions are satisfactory and that they are becoming more successful in their jobs. They identify themselves with the work and this leads to an improved performance. 3. 1. 8Rewards and Recognition The purpose of an employee recognition and reward program is to express the employer’s appreciation for a job well done. Employee recognition and rewards can take many forms, from a simple thank you note to cash to an extravagant awards ceremony, just to name a few. Generally, recognition and rewards can be distinguished in two categories. At all these companies, recognition is distinguished as a pat on the back or a word of praise, growth prospects and competent supervision amongst others. Alternative monetary rewards include incentives, bonuses, and commissions. In addition, employees put a great value on benefits such as life insurance, disability insurance, health and/or retirement benefits, and perks. Top performing companies have begun documenting â€Å"best practices† which show a direct relationship between employee morale and productivity, profitability, turnover and retention, thus measuring the value of human resources. 1. Upward relation (employee to employer) 1. Feedback It is the job of the supervisor to guide the employee into understanding which of their ideas for change will be helpful in meeting the company's goals. A good supervisor also guides each of their employees differently because similar to Pokemon, each employee offers unique talents and will evolve into different forms of advanced employees 2. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Most managers say they want to pay for performance, but few sit down and conduct a performance review with an employee. Raises, Career paths, training plans, and departmental productivity are impacted by an employee’s performance. In addition, a well-designed, effectively implemented appraisal system can provide solid documentation of performance accomplishments or problems that the supervisor can use to justify or defend a wide range of personnel actions or decisions. 3. Horizontal Relation (amongst Employees) 1. Annual events and magazines Annual events are a way of getting to know the employee on a personal level. It is also a team building exercise and is common in all companies Inhouse magazines too are common. They tell the employee about the company and employee participation is encouraged by articles. 3. 3. 2 Welfare activities The objective of providing welfare facilities is to ensure that employee attention is not diverted from work to maintenance activities. It also aims to provide a caring environment that enhances the satisfaction of the employee with working conditions 4 ADVANTAGES OF MAINTAINING GOOD EMPLOYEE RELATIONS. The Gallup Organization published research proved that a more engaged employee is also a more productive employee. The research also proved, that a more engaged employee is also a more profitable employee, a more customer-focused employee, a safer employee, and an employee who is more likely to withstand temptations to jump ship and in turn it is also true that the longer employees stay with an organization, the less engaged they become. Following are the advantages of maintaining good relations with the employees. 1. Reduced Absenteeism One reason, outside of illness, that employees are absent is stress, and the number one reason employees are stressed has to do with their relationship with their manager/supervisor. Management styles that are too authoritarian tend to promote high levels of absenteeism among employees also increase turnover, job burnout, and employee health problems such as backaches and headaches. Employees may also reduce turnover and absences when they begin to feel that working conditions are satisfactory and that they are becoming more successful in their jobs Absenteeism rate at GPI is around 13-14 % on an average but a little high during summer holidays. ( Does it include approved leaves?.. why elaborate/justify.. ) Absenteeism at TAJ is under control as per the norms. The absenteeism rate at PARLE is 8 % and increases by 3 % reaching to 11 % during the summer holidays. In addition, these programs help reduce turnover thereby reducing your training, recruiting, and administrative human resource expenses. 2. Improved Morale & Motivation. The secret of creating a motivating employee review lies in the relationship between accuracy and money( not a correct expression†¦ xpectations of the employee & the C) The right combination provides with a highly motivated employee. Maintaining good Employee Relations creates an environment of trust and increases morale. This improv es the motivation of the employee. A motivated employee is contagious and is beneficial for the growth of the company 3. Harmony in the organisation Increase in the level of job satisfaction has a direct relation with the smooth workflow. There will be lesser arguments and more discussions. Employees will be ready to share information and help each other out. A good relation with the employee also inculcates discipline. Thus harmony is maintained. 4. Lesser attrition – reduced cost on training, less cost of retention A reduced attrition rate will reduce the cost of training and induction. No new employees will need to start afresh. The company can save on getting to know new employees. GPI spends around Rs. 5 Lakhs( isn’t it less?.. ) on training every year with the attrition rate being less than 2 %. For TAJ, There is a bloodbath in Mumbai today, with seven hotels cheek-by-jowl near the airport. Retention of talent is the chief challenge. Staff is routinely poached by not just industry competitors but also banks, call centers and others. On the upside, they are the biggest and the most profitable chain and apparently enjoy an attrition rate which is lowest in the industry. They are most in the news, too. They must be doing something right( What are they doing?.. ) At PARLE, it seems the employees are not interested in leaving at all. The attrition rate is a minimal at 2-3% for staff, and between 1-2% for its workers. ( Please re-check the figures!! It can’t be!! Last one year it should be around 15%.. which Parle location is this?.. ) 5. Attract good talent Attracting the most qualified employees and matching them to the jobs for which they are best suited is important for the success of any organization. A good company with good Employee Relations will be talked about. There is a brand image created in the mind of the employees which attracts them to the company like a drop of honey. Like for example there are companies like TATA, HLL, Birlas, or Infosys where people would be glad to work. TAJ wants to create an image where, if 10 employees are interviewed and 1 gets selected, then the rest should feel sorry, not for being unemployed (selected) but for losing getting an wonderful opportunity to work for an interview with for TAJ Knowledge about satisfying work places with comfortable working conditions and friendly work culture and transparency in the organisation are always passed through the grapevine and thus attract employees. Later it’s the job of the recruitment cell to hire employees as per the requirements. 6. Responsible for increase in productivity. As the saying goes, a happy worker is a productive worker. Thus a satisfied worker will take lesser breaks, spend lesser time in the canteen gossiping and more time working for the company. There will be Greater commitment which means quality output. There will be loyalty and less wastage of company resources. The employee will seek for opportunities for intensifying the business and look out for new chances of expanding the company. They identify themselves with the work and this leads to an improved performance. Finally, the act of participation in itself establishes better communication, as people mutually discuss work problems. 7. Open to organizational / hierarchical changes (flexibility) The workers’ self-esteem, job satisfaction, and cooperative with the management is improved. The results often are reduced conflict and stress, more commitment to goals, and better acceptance of a change. 8. Shared learning and Continuous improvement. A satisfied employee will look for ways of continuous improvement. They will participate in programs such as kaizen and try for the better of the company. Employees in a good employee relation management will share their new learning’s and wisdom with his colleagues. 5. ROLE and scope of Human resources The key process that defines the HR strategy is ensuring an effective and efficient organisation through appropriate people-job-organisation fit Each and every HR plans thus focuses on: †¢ Productivity †¢ Performance †¢ Satisfaction, to further the business objectives of the organisation through the optimal utilization of the human resources. 6. GODFREY PHILLIPS INDIA LTD. (ANDHERI) Vision â€Å"To be the best quality cigarette manufacturing in the country, producing at optimum cost with total employee involvement and maintaining clean and safe environment inside and outside the factory premises. † INTRODUCTION GPI, the second largest player in the Indian cigarette industry with an annual turnover of over US$ 265 million is a joint venture between Modi group and global cigarette major Phillip Morris. Some of the leading brands in GPI’s portfolio are Jaisalmer, Cavenders, Four Square, Red & White and Originals. The company has a value market share of 11. 4% and a volume share of 12. 4% in the cigarette industry in 2004-2005. Godfrey Phillips has the strong backing of over 15,000 shareholders in the Country. The manufacturing of cigarettes is done in the Andheri factory in Mumbai and in Guldhar (Ghaziabad) called the ITC factory (International Tobacco Company). These constitute the manufacturing operations of the CIGARETTE DIVISION in the company. Core values Core Values are those values, which are enduring tenets of the organisation and are timeless guiding principles. Core values help the organisation to achieve its vision. Core values are those values, which are not compromised, even though they become a competitive disadvantage under certain situations. The Andheri Factory, has articulated the following Core Values. †¢ Provide Environment For Development †¢ Urge to change for Improvement †¢ Focus on Quality. The Andheri Management Team with its commitment to achieve excellence in Quality shall ensure compliance to this policy and economic competitiveness in the implementation. Nothing represents the true spirit of Godfrey Phillips more aptly than the many initiatives it has taken to be a socially responsible corporate citizen. The commitment has always been to enrich and energize the community within which it operates. †¢ Red and White Bravery Awards Started in 1990-91, the purpose of these awards is to instill in people the culture of selfless action. The awards bring into limelight extraordinary, yet little known acts of bravery and social acts of courage by the common man. †¢ Farmer Program Godfrey Phillips helped create awareness amongst the farming community about the benefits of adopting approved agricultural practices. It imparts training and knowledge to farmers in tobacco producing areas †¢ AIDS Prevention Program GPI’s participates in AIDS Prevention Programme, rehabilitation of the Gujarat Earthquake victims and Blood donation camps. However, since charity starts at home, they insist upon and ensure safe environmental practices within our factories and offices Realizing the importance of human factor in producing good quantity and quality, GPI signed an agreement with Japan Tobacco Company (an acknowledged world leader in the management of people and machines) for the improvement of its Andheri factory. The Andheri plant went 100% filter manufacturing in 1991. The modernization of the primary line at a cost of RS. 11 Crore's was done in 1990-91. Organization structure GPI believes in a flexible, business-oriented organisation structure. It follows a flat organisation structure with decentralized management. There are around 5 levels in the organisation structure making it a decently flat structure comprising of 407 employees comprising of 69 staff members, 289 workers and 47 managers. ( Hey give an organization structure as an annexure) The organizational business is built around a structure that comprises various jobs carried out by individual in the organisation Role and scope of HR at GPI Mission To facilitate the processes which create an environment where each member of GPI family is able to contribute their best. Aim: To be amongst top 10 employers in India. †¢ All HR processes are linked to Core Competency Model which was launched for GPI, 2003. Assessment Centers are launched for promoting staff into management cadre. †¢ HRIS (Human Resource Information System) launched to empower employees of Godfrey Phillips. †¢ Six-Sigma project is undertaken to create a robust performance management system. †¢ Annual training calendar is introduced which is based on the G PI competency model. †¢ Internal Recruitment is encouraged to fill vacant positions. †¢ Each management staff is entitled to training and development intervention of at least 8 days. †¢ 360-degree feedback is initiated. †¢ Variable income plan was launched in 2004 to attract the organization to raise their performance bar. GPI believes in Total Employee Involvement. This is done through small group activity including all employees in teams, whereby identified problems are resolved and presented to management. The HR department is the central point which initiates, monitors and follows up on the processes. It coordinates the task force activities of the factory. There are at present 11 task forces in the factory There is a micro site that has been created called ELIVE to generate the awareness among the employees about the concept and its benefits. Each manager should therefore evolve his or her people strategy aligned to the business strategy of the organisation DOWNWARD RELATION TRAINING AND INDUCTION An employee at GPI is placed on the job after induction. The basic induction training is a seven-day program; additional training is imparted as required. Technical personnel are given induction training in various technical departments for one month before being placed on their actual jobs. GPI at its HO follows a mentoring program for the employees. It will be implemented at the Andheri factory from July 2005. Training for the same will be conducted by the HO. Mentoring at GPI was launched on the 5th September, 2004 which is celebrated as the International Mentoring Day world wide. GPI believes that the best investment that it can make towards its people is in increasing their knowledge, skills etc. This can be done by periodically identifying the training needs, imparting training and measuring the effectiveness of the training programs thereby assessing how effective the training programs are and their contribution to the bottom line of the business. GPI places a great emphasis on training Training and Development systems focus on aspects such as continuous learning, on-the-job learning, easy access to training programs, self-managed programs. Training is controlled and monitored through a budget of around Rs. 5 Lakhs A Training Directory is created by each unit. The Directory identifies both training needs as well as training delivery in respect of all employees. The training programs include both job related technical training as well as behavioral training. Training needs of employees are decided once in a year. The factory manager identifies training needs of HOD’s. In line with the Training Activities in the Factory, Quality System Procedures of Personnel Department are documented, scope of which includes Training Need Identification, Training Plan, Training Calendar, Training Evaluation and Training Records. GPI provides the following BENEFITS: †¢ Canteen Facility – The Company has a subsidized canteen for its employees, which provides food at highly subsidized rates in all shifts. The employees working in the night shift get refreshments. Everyday in the morning, the food is tasted by the responsible person from the Personnel Department and accordingly the taste is approved or is changed if necessary. Every week, the menu is approved by the Personnel Department. Lunch is made available at 50 paisa, refreshments for 20 paisa and tea for 10 p Uniform – The Company provides free uniforms to certain categories of employees once in every year around the month of Feb-March. The washing of the uniforms is taken care by the company itself once a week. Winter and monsoon wear is also provided to selected employees. †¢ Housing facility – is provided to the security guards and workers at key position. They are highly subsidized accommodation at a pay of Rs. 7. 50 per month. †¢ Holiday Home Scheme – Each individual management staff is entitled to a stay up to one week at any of the properties available during the course of a calendar year †¢ Marriage Gift Scheme – The Company provides a gift to all its managers on the occasion of the wedding of the employees as well as their children. On all such occasions the employees shall have the option to purchase a gift of their choice at a value not exceeding an amount of Rs. 5000/- per wedding Monetary benefits GPI employees can avail Retirement Services/benefits GPI has a credit society which provides the following benefits. It was established in 1953 and membership is open to all employees working in the various establishments of GPI. It is registered under the Societies Registration Act. Its meetings are held once a month. It offers 2 savings schemes to its members †¢ Cumulative Deposit Scheme †¢ Monthly Contributory Deposit Scheme. A member can also avail of loan schemes immediately on acquiring membership in the credit society. Short term loans – for a period of 1 year, monthly installments, which are deducted from the member's salary †¢ Long term loans: for a period of 5 years and is recovered through 60 monthly installments deducted from the salary. MEDICAL FACILITY. In GPI, there are two pane ls of doctors. The company has 50 trained first-aiders which are required if any accident takes place. Every department has a first aid kit which is replenished and audited every month. The Personnel Department includes a Nurse and an Ambulance room who maintains a medical kit as well. The company carries out medical examination of all the employees once in every three years. SAFETY GPI believes that companies are responsible for ensuring the health and safety of the employees. Every employee follows operating procedures and practices are designed to protect people and equipment from risk of injury or damage to property. GPI has a Safety Department which aims â€Å"To create at all levels in the organisation a Safety Consciousness and to develop and maintain safety at work place. † HR department has to see to it that an acceptable safety standard is kept in the workplace-safety gears are provided, Fire extinguishers are placed at the right places, multiple entrances and exits are provided and possible fire/safety drills are conducted once in a while. The safety squad conducts a safety drill in the first week of March on safety day and once in two months. GPI also pursues ERP which is run by the emergency squad. The EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN is responsible to deal with various types of emergencies that could occur at the facility with the response organization structure being deployed in the shortest time possible during an emergency. Thus when an emergency occurs, the initial indication is by raising the alarm by the person who first notices a problem. The respective Managers is immediately notified who then assesses the severity of the condition, classifies it appropriately and directs the response actions of the facility personnel to mitigate the condition. Upon analyzing the emergency situation, if situation is beyond his control he informs the Security Main Gate who activates the ERP. GPI also has a Medical Attendant (Nurse) who during an emergency is to provide first-aid to victims of the accident, and to ensure their prompt transportation to a treatment installation such as a hospital, when required the Medical Function is responsible for the establishment of a first-aid station for the immediate treatment of possible victims, which shall be appropriately equipped with medical supplies, oxygen, resuscitators, and other supplies and the emergency response personnel are familiar with first aid administration There hasn’t been a case of sexual harassment or drug abuse. GPI is short of a policy against it, but any individual found guilty will not be allowed on the premises and will be dismissed if it continues. CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES The emphasis at GPI will be to focus on career paths rather than on career per se. GPI focuses on generic career paths as well as specific career paths for identified individual. There are 8 basic Job Bands. All grades are structured around these levels. Jobs are placed in appropriate bands, corresponding to the responsibility levels. Job bands are used for specific HR action such as promotions, career development etc. GPI recognizes that in a dynamic, fast-changing environment jobs will also be flexible Job Rotation Programs (JRP) can not only reduce turnover but they also increase learning, and provide added bench strength. At GPI, the technicians are rotated in the whole department. This helps the technicians become Almighty operators. Knowing a variety of jobs improves the worker’s self-image, provides personal growth and makes the worker more valuable to the organization. It also helps them become a trainer and fill the vacant places if some employee turns out absent. Job rotation is a way to overcome boredom and monotony. Periodic job changing can also improve interdepartmental co-operation, employees become more understanding of each other’s problems. Job enrichment too is used at GPI. It seeks to improve both task efficiency and human satisfaction by building into people’s jobs, quite specifically, greater scope for personal achievement and recognition, more challenging and responsible work, and more opportunity for individual advancement and growth. Operators become Technicians who then become supervisors who in turn become managers RECREATION AND STRESS The employees at GPI work for 8 hours with a lunch break for half an hour. The leaves allotted are different for workers and different for staff. For Workers: Workers receive Annual leave of 21 days, Casual leave of 14 days & Sick leave of 21 days. FOR STAFF: The staff members are entitled to get Annual leave of 30 days, Casual leave of 14 days & Sick leave of 20 days. GPI proudly holds interdepartmental cricket matches annually. Steps are taken by each department to send their best players and employee participation is encouraged to the fullest Various stress management programs are held by external faculty for the welfare of the employees COLLECTIVE BARGAINING The trade union at GPI is KAMGAR UTKARSH SABHA is registered under commissioner of labor and recognized under All India Trade Union Congress. Employee Relations as an activity extends through negotiation and bargaining, discipline and employee involvement. When GPI is concerned, there hasn’t been a strike ever. All are part of this union for the past 15 years. The procedure for grievance solving at GPI is followed as per hierarchy, the employee goes to the department head and the grievance is presented. If the department head is not in the condition to solve the grievance, the personnel department is informed. If the employee is still not satisfied, the grievance is then forwarded to the FM. INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT GPI follows the technique of Quality Circle, originating from Japan and introduced in many establishments in India. In this, employees voluntarily become members of quality circles, which study various situations and problems at the work place, suggest and implement solutions. There is thus much involvement of the worker, in what happens at his work place. The participation is not of representatives. All of them could get involved. GPI follows a Suggestions scheme called Kaizen Teian. Employee can give suggestion in the field of Operation, Safety, Quality, Workplace Environment, Waste Elimination ,5 ‘S’, Energy Saving ,Cost Saving. There are department committees consisting of Dept Head, Dept Level Managers and Supervisors, who motivate employees and evaluate the suggestions and reward the employees. The factory committee meets once in a fortnight. It is involved in planning and implementing for increasing the participation and number of suggestions of the employees. It also reviews the reward at regular intervals. GPI (as per rules of KT) has star, super star and pole star. Star is felicitated with a silver medal of approximately Rs. 225. Super star is awarded with 30 Gms of silver medal of approximately Rs. 450. The pole star who must have 3 implemented Kaizens per month for 6 continuous months is awarded with Sodexho coupons worth Rs. 350. At GPI, mostly the department heads go at the employee’s workplace and congratulate them and gift them their reward. Best suggestion of the month and kaizenee of the month are recognised by displaying their photo at the canteen and at main gate entrance. And also gets a free lunch with family in a restaurant. The company has a tradition of felicitating those employees who have completed 20 years of service with the company by offering them a gift and a certificate. UPWARD COMMUNICATION FEEDBACK GPI has started taking an EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SURVEY annually from the last two years. It is conducted, monitored and evaluated by the HR department. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL At GPI, managers have an online Performance Appraisal. For the staff, an informal procedure is followed, the employees are monitored regularly by their immediate boss and regular feedback is given to the employees as and when required. This forms the basis for identification of training needs with respect to HOD's and management staff. ( what kind of system of PA is followed?.. ) HORIZONTAL RELATION ANNUAL EVENTS GPI holds the following: Picnics – GPI has a four squares club which carries out picnics and other excursions for the staff to nearby places like Khopoli and Virar. †¢ Dassehra Puja – The workers org anize Dassehra Puja every year with the aid of contributions collected from the employees of the company. Every department celebrates this auspicious day by carrying out pujas in their respective departments. The company distributes sweets to all the employees. †¢ House Magazine – GPI publishes a quarterly house magazine known as ‘SAMVAD’; highlighting the various events at GPI. It was started in the year 1986. This helps to encourage people for active participation in writing pros, poems, drawings. The magazine also gives information about the Kaizens given by the employees and the Kaizenee. The promotional activities, suggestions regarding Safety, Pollution Control are also included in the house magazine. The achievements of the employees and their family members are published in the magazine WELFARE ACTIVITIES GPI gives the welfare facilities as mentioned in THE FACTORIES ACT, 1948. Various incentives, cash benefits, rewards for good performance etc. are offered at GPI as a part of the commitment towards the well being of employees. In addition to these, the company has initiated several other programmes to achieve the goal of employee welfare. The Godfrey Phillips Employees' Welfare Society: It was constituted and registered under the Mumbai Trusts' Act, 1950 in 1971. The membership of the society is open to the employees of GPI. A few of the programmes organized by the society are listed below: †¢ Annual Prize Distribution: This programme is organized every year. The employees’ children who excel in academics are awarded so as to encourage them to perform better. In addition to the prizes, each awarded also gets a Textbook Gift Coupon. †¢ Note Book Distribution: Every year, before the beginning of the academic session the employees of GPI are given notebooks at concessional rates. Each employee can purchase a maximum of 4 dozen-note books from the welfare society. †¢ S. S. C. Vyakhyanamala: An expert hired by the society gives the children of employees appearing for the S. S. C. exhaustive guidance in all the aspects of these exams. If the number is inadequate, the society sends them to counseling agencies at its own expense. †¢ Career Counseling: Children of employees in the 9th and 10th standards and Jr. College are given guidance as to which career they should choose based on the results of a 5 hour test administered to them by the Maharashtra Vyavsaya Margdarshan Kendra. The society has several other activities in the pipeline such as a talk on the Union Budget, a rangoli competition, establishment of Adarsh Kamgar Puraskar, a pulse polio vaccination scheme etc. 7. INTRODUCTION TO PARLE VISION â€Å"With the unfolding of the InfoTech age, and the emergence of a borderless world, we have a quest to become the most admired group to all our stakeholders, alike customers, employees, contract manufacturers, wholesalers, C&F agents, suppliers and society. Our customer being the king we will try to exceed their expectations by pursuing world class standards in our people, products, process & performance encouraging innovation & nurturing intellectual capital. We will follow ethical & fair business practices maintaining respect for all the fellow human beings. † INTRODUCTION Mr. Mohanlal Dalal came to Mumbai in the 1880’s from pardi village. He did some work here and there to earn his living. Soon PARLE biscuits were formed in a 60 ft long and 40 ft wide tin shed with an initial investment of 1,50,000 with the help of 12 men. In the year 1929 the market was dominated by famous international brands that were imported freely. Despite the odds and unequal competition, this company called PARLE Products, survived and succeeded, by adhering to high quality and improvising from time to time. Over the years, PARLE has grown to become a multi-million US Dollar company. Many of the PARLE products – biscuits or confectionaries, are market leaders in their category and have won acclaim at the Monde Selection, since 1971. Today, PARLE enjoys a 40% share of the total biscuit market and a 15% share of the total confectionary market, in India. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE PARLE on the other hand has an organisation structure of 7-8 levels. Starting with the Factory Manager and then the Deputy Manager, but it is more on paper than for operational purpose. It has a total of 742 workers, 30 staff members and 150 managers and officers. Role and scope of HR at PARLE The HR mission at PARLE is to develop the employee behaviour, identify their training needs and help them grow in the future. They don’t have a HR Department per se, but the personnel department handles the functions of the HR. Their Personnel department handles 742 workers, 30 staff members and 150 managers and officers. Though no special steps are taken to increase employee involvement at PARLE, they have had no disputes and work goes on smoothly because of the team spirit in the e employees. The Personnel department handles all the activities amongst the employees and believes that no disputes and smooth flow of work is a live testimony of credibility to HR department. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION TRAINING AND INDUCTION At PARLE, the nature of recruitment is purely internal. Thus training needs may be more as compared to hiring trained individuals. Here, the department Heads identify the training needs as and when required. These training needs are then sent to the Personnel department. The Personnel department checks its external brochures and the training is conducted There is internal training for the workers for KAIZEN, 5S, and other Japanese systems which are recently implemented by the company. External training is not given for workers unless critical or really required. The staff and the managers are given external training for behaviour and management. There is follow-up done after the training with the help of feedback forms. These feedbacks are submitted to the Personnel department who looks after them and implements the changes if possible. There is religious feedback taken after training and the form is evaluated by the Personnel department. PARLE doesn’t have an induction program for its workers in place. Workers are recruited and put on job, whereas the managers and staff have to go through a 15 day induction program. The employees learn about the functioning of each department. PARLE has the following BENEFITS †¢ Apart from the regular allowances, PARLE provides Production Incentive and festival allowance. †¢ Canteen facility – It too has subsidized food for all its employees. Lunch is for Rs. 2 and tea and refreshments are served at 20p. The canteen is run by contractors. †¢ Housing facility – PARLE doesn’t provide housing facilities to its employees but a few important ones like the technicians and engineers stay on the compound of the factory. †¢ Uniforms – Like in GPI, the workers wear uniforms, some also receive monsoon wear and winter wear. The uniforms are washed on a weekly basis on contract. PARLE also gives various MONETARY BENEFITS. It has an ECS (employee credit society) which offers loans short term and long term loans like GPI. MEDICAL BENEFITS There are 2 in-house doctors who conduct free medical check ups on half yearly basis at PARLE. There is a well equipped ambulance room with 3 full time nurses. Employees at PARLE also receive reimbursement of medical expenses. Compensation is also given on death of the employee SAFTEY PARLE endeavors to adequately train all employees, suitably equip them and instruct them to perform their duties in a safe and effective way. PARLE trains all its employees against safety and first aid and Fire fighting. Apart from this there is a Guard for all the machines who prevents the accident from occurring. PARLE is a non tobacco zone. Thus there is no smoking allowed in the premises or the working area. They are also strict about alcohol or drugs. Though there is no policy, but an employee is not allowed to enter the gates if he is drunk or is caught with drugs. There has never been a case of sexual harassment either. PARLE also conducts safety day competitions on safety week during March. Colourful posters and illustrations of the harms of not wearing a helmet and other such warnings are pinned on the entire lobby and the passage area all over PARLE. CAREER DEVELOPMENT PARLE doesn’t follow Job rotation, thus an employee does gains specialization. PARLE believes Moving from one job to another also gets irritating because the normal routine of an employee is disturbed and also time is wasted in adjusting to the new job. PARLE too believes that enriched job will have more responsibility and autonomy (vertical enrichment), more variety of tasks (horizontal enrichment), and more growth opportunities. Thus after receiving considerable knowledge at packing, a worker is soon promoted to charge-hand. RECREATION AND STRESS Employees at PARLE receive an annual leave of 16 days, sick leave of 10 days and CL of 7 days. The management decides the paid holidays after discussion with the Union and the list of holidays is posted on the notice board. In all, there are 14 paid holidays. Although there have been talks about health clubs and gyms. Employees at PARLE receive an annual leave of 16 days, sick leave of 10 days and CL of 7 days. And refreshment breaks of 15 minutes at PARLE. They are sanctified with a play ground. They have regular tournaments of volley ball, cricket and tennis. Employees also have the facility to play carromen, table tennis in their rest rooms. There is an annual sports day held by the ECS where employees are encouraged to participate. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING The trade union at GPI & PARLE is the same; KAMGAR UTKARSHA SABHA. There has been a strike at PARLE due to conflict of interest which lasted for 40 days, in the year 2000. The procedure for grievance solving at PARLE goes as per hierarchy too, first the employee goes to the department head and the grievance is presented. If the department head is not in the condition to solve the grievance, the personnel department is informed. If the employee is still not satisfied, the grievance is then forwarded to the FM. The grievance is further sent for conciliation. ( If you can†¦study the documents of negotiations between the two & analyse how the final draft was arrived at †¦) INVOLVEMEMNT AND ENGAGEMENT PARLE has a suggestion box which comes under the plant services manager. These suggestions are received on a weekly basis. PARLE like GPI follows the technique of Quality Circle, originating from Japan and introduced in many establishments in India. In this, employees voluntarily become members of quality circles, which study various situations and problems at the work place, suggest and implement solutions. There is thus much involvement of the worker, in what happens at his work place. PARLE has also implemented KAIZEN recently. Here, employees are expected to submit at least 6 suggestions per month. If the suggestion is creative and implemented, the employee earns 2 points. These 2 points entitle him to a gift. There is a considerable rise in the self-esteem. This helps in terms of interpersonal relationships which directly affect Employee Relations. Finally, the act of participation in itself establishes better communication, as people mutually discuss work problems. Rewards at PARLE are as per KAIZEN. No other rewards or gifts are given to the workers for making suggestions. There is a Best worker of the month who is called as the PARLE – G anmol. His picture is displayed on the notice board and he receives a small gift too. The bottom line is to increase employee productivity which contributes to making a company more profitable. UPWARD RELATION FEEDBACK PARLE doesn’t follow job satisfaction survey or any other kind of feedback for its workers or staff PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PARLE doesn’t hold any performance appraisals for its workers, though the management and staff follows a 90 degree performance appraisals system. HORIZONTAL RELATION ANNUAL EVENTS PARLE holds the following functions for the employees †¢ PARLE does not hold picnics for its employees. †¢ PARLE has a Sports day arranged by the ECS annually. It has activities like football and volley ball and cricket

Global Climate Change and Climate Protection

From September 6 to 10, 1997, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) held a Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign – U.S. workshop in Atlanta, sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The City of Atlanta, The Climate Institute, and The Turner Foundation. ICLEI is the international environmental agency for local governments. It believes from concrete experience that local actions can have a global impact. ICLEI was established in 1990 through a partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA), and the Center for Innovative Diplomacy. ICLEI's World Secretariat is in Toronto. ICLEI also has offices in Freiburg, Tokyo, Harare, Santiago, and Berkeley. ICLEI's purpose and mission are to: 1) serve as an international clearinghouse on sustainable development and environmental protection policies, programs, and techniques being implemented at the local level by local institutions; 2) initiate joint projects or campaigns among groups of local governments to research and develop new approaches to address pressing environmental and development problems; 3) organize training programs and publish reports and technical manuals on state of the art environmental management practices; and 4) serve as an advocate for local government before national and international governments, agencies, and organizations to increase their understanding and support of local environmental protection and sustainable development activities. By ICLEI's 10th anniversary in the year 2000, ICLEI aims to establish a global system to achieve, measure, and report on tangible improvements in the global environment through the cumulative local performance improvements of ICLEI's member municipalities. ICLEI members include more than 265 local governments of all sizes from around the world from 50 countries, all of whom share a common purpose: to take a leadership role in identifying and implementing innovative environmental management practices at the local level. ICLEI's CCP campaign started in 1990 and consists of about 200 cities from Abu Dhabi to West Hollywood. The cities that sign on to the CCP campaign commit to: 1) estimate their 1990 carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent (CO2e) emissions, 2) develop a CCP plan to reduce their CO2e emissions by 20 percent of their 1990 emissions by the year 2020, 3) demonstrate progress towards reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and 4) update and implement their plan. Others are becoming involved in the CCP campaign. On September 19, 1997, Ted Turner of Turner Communications announced he would contribute $1,000,000,000 to the United Nations to address the issue of global climate change. On October 6, 1997, President Clinton held a White House Summit on Global Warming to help develop U.S. policy for the planning meetings in Bonn on October 20, 1997, and for the International Meeting on Global Climate Change to be held in Kyoto in December, 1997. Climate change is now recognized as a serious global issue by thousands of environmental professionals, atmospheric scientists, government officials, medical doctors, and health and property insurance companies. Climate change is serious because its adverse human health and physical effects, if unabated, will have vast and undesirable social, economic and political impacts. Ross Gelspan, prize-winning author of The Heat Is On: The High Stakes Battle Over Earth's Threatened Climate (1997. Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., New York) was the featured dinner speaker at the CCP workshop. Cause and Effects of Industrialized Climate Change Because of industrialization, the earth's surface and atmosphere is heating up to our peril as a species. The key issues in global climate change are expanding industrialization which burns carbon fuels in power plants and internal combustion vehicle engines to generate greenhouse gases beyond the capacity of the oceans and the biosphere to absorb the excess gases. These excess gases capture heat from the sun and cause global warming, increase air pollution, induce glacial and iceberg melting, sea level rising, unstable and more extreme and long-lived weather conditions, and shifting, prolonging and intensifying floods, droughts, hurricanes and El Nià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½o episodes. These effects lead to increases in respiratory diseases, habitat alterations, destruction of forests and wetlands, agricultural shifts, coastal erosion and flooding, societal dislocations and unrest, and perhaps, the demise of democracy as governments become more authoritarian to combat the emergencies induced by climate change. What lies ahead if the developed world cannot reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and the developing world seeks to industrialize and increase its greenhouse gas emissions? Greenhouse Gases, Their Properties, Sources and Emission Rates The major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halocarbon and related compounds (fluorocarbons CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113; hydrocholorofluorocarbons HCFC-22; hydrofluorocarbons HFCs; perfluorocarbons PFCs; and sulfur hexafluoride SF6), and the criteria pollutants — carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and non-CH4 volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) [U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (EIA). October 1997. Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 1996 DOE/EIADOE/EIA-0573 (96). Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia or http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/frntend.html]. CO2 has a carbon equivalency of 0.273, CH4 has a higher carbon equivalency of 5.73, and N2O has an even higher carbon equivalency of 83.2. This means that CH4 has about 21 times the warming effect of CO2 and N2O has about 305 times the warming effect of CO2. SF6 has a very h igh global warming potential (GWP) of 23,900 times the effects of CO2. The currently estimated 1996 U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions are about 1,753 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, or an increase of 8.3 percent over 1990 (EIA 1997). About 98.5 percent of U.S. human-made or anthropogenic CO2 emissions are caused by the combustion of fossil fuels to provide energy; U.S. anthropogenic CH4 emissions are due primarily to production and transportation of coal, natural gas and oil; anaerobic decomposition of municipal waste in landfills and raising livestock. N2O emissions are primarily from agricultural soils associated with fertilizer use, industrial process emissions, and emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Carbon dioxide. CO2 emissions are by far the largest percentage of greenhouse gas. Caused primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels to provide energy from energy plants and internal combustion engines, anthropogenic CO2 emissions are also produced by forest, agricultural, and other fires. At 1,496 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 85.3 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as CO2, based on GWP, or an increase of 8.8 percent over 1990 (EIA 1997). Methane. CH4 emissions are dwarfed by CO2 emissions (a ratio of 1 ton of CH4 for every 175 tons of CO2). Because the heat-trapping capacity of CH4 is about 21 times that of CO2, the overall effect of CH4 on global climate is significant. There is, however, substantial uncertainty in estimates of emissions from most U.S. CH4 sources, ranging from 25 percent to as high as several hundred percent. CH4 emission trends from each source tend to be more reliable than their overall estimated magnitude. At 177 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 10.0 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as CH4, based on GWP, or a decrease of 2.2 percent over 1990. Nitrous oxide. Compared to CO2 or CH4, N2O is released in small quantities from anthropogenic sources; however, N2O's 100 – year global warming potential (GWP) of 305 makes it a significant contributor to atmospheric warming. Although there are many known natural and anthropogenic sources, N2O emissions have been difficult to quantify on a global scale because it has been one of the least-studied greenhouse gases. The largest source of anthropogenic N2O emissions is energy use, which includes mobile source combustion from passenger cars, buses, motorcycles, and trucks, and stationary source combustion from residential, industrial, and electric utility energy use. The second-largest source of N2O emissions is agriculture, primarily fertilizer application and a small amount released from the burning of crop residues. However, there is substantial uncertainty and debate regarding the emissions implications of use of N-based fertilizers. Models used for estimation are based on limited sources of experimental data. Another important source of N2O emissions is industrial production of adipic acid and nitric acid. At 38 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 2.2 percent of the currently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as N2O, based on GWP, or no net change over 1990. Halocarbon and Related Compounds. CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, PFCs and other compounds that act as greenhouse gases are emitted from their use as refrigerants in cooling equipment, as solvents, or as blowing agents, or from fugitive emissions from industrial processes; these halocarbon compounds are being phased out under pollution prevention measures because they damage the stratospheric ozone layer. The best known class of synthetic greenhouse chemicals are the CFCs, particularly CFC-12 (trade name Freon -12). CFCs have many desirable features: they are relatively simple to manufacture, inert, nontoxic, and nonflammable. Because CFCs are chemically stable, they remain in the atmosphere for hundreds or thousands of years. These synthetic molecules absorb reflected infrared radiation at wavelengths that would otherwise be largely unabsorbed, and they are potent greenhouse gases, with a direct radiative forcing effect hundreds or thousands of times greater than that of CO2. Though molecule for molecule, CFCs absorb many hundreds of times more infrared radiation than carbon dioxide, their net warming effect is reduced because of their effect on ozone. Ozone (O3), beneficial in the stratosphere for its ability to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation, is also a potent greenhouse gas. While the direct effect of CFCs is a warming potential far greater than that of CO2, their indirect effect on ozone reduces their net radiative forcing effects by half. SF6 is used as an insulator for circuit breakers switchgear and other electrical equipment; it also occurs as a fugitive emission from certain semiconductor manufacturing processes. At 42 metric tons of carbon or carbon equivalent, about 2.4 percent of the curr ently estimated 1996 U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are as HFCs, PFCs and SF6, based on GWP, or an increase of 68 percent over 1990. Criteria Pollutants. CO, NOx, and NMVOCs are reactive gases, which usually decay quickly in the atmosphere. Most CO emissions result from incomplete oxidation during combustion of fuels used for transportation. NOx emissions are related to air-fuel mixes and combustion temperatures during the burning of fuels evenly split between transportation and stationary sources. NMVOCs are a main component in the chemical and physical atmospheric reactions that form ozone and other photochemical oxidants. About half of the NMVOC emissions come from solvent-related industrial processes and most of the remaining emissions are from combustion of transportation fuels. Climate Protection Strategies The remedial strategies all have unintended consequences. These strategies are 1) greenhouse gas source reduction (Gelspan, 1997; ICLEI, September 1997, web page at http://www.iclei.org); 2) ocean modification to absorb more greenhouse gases (Joos, F., J.L. Sarmiento and U. Siegenthaler. 1991. Estimates of the effect of Southern Ocean iron fertilization on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Nature, Vol. 349, No. 6312, p. 772-774); and 3) forest, wetland, and agricultural practices to sequester more gaseous CO2 (Hodges, Carl N., T. Lewis Thompson, James L. Riley and Edward P. Glenn. November 1993. Reversing the Flow: Water and Nutrients from the Sea to the Land. Ambio, A Journal of the Human Environment, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Vol. 22, No. 7, p. 483-496). The most likely success strategy is greenhouse gas source reduction. Greenhouse gas source reduction activities include: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Replace greenhouse gas generating activities such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas burning power plants with non-CO2 emitting power plants like nuclear, solar, wind, wave, hydraulic, and geothermal. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Reduce the amount of paper and other carbon-rich discards that go to landfills, which generate CH4 by source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting and/or mulching of organic discards. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Control industrial plant greenhouse gas emissions. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Prevent and control forest and agricultural fires that generate CO2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Replace internal combustion vehicle, tools, and power sources with electrical, compressed natural gas , and hydrogen sources. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Recover greenhouse gases, such as from landfills, for reuse and treatment prior to release to the atmosphere. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Improve the greenhouse gas sequestering mechanisms of the vegetative cover by restoring and enhancing landscape trees, forests, wetlands, gardens, and agricultural practices. Do we have a reason to be optimistic? We have reason to be cautiously optimistic about climate protection. Human history is full of examples where we learned from our mistakes, misfortunes, or undesirable trends. The agricultural revolution of the 18th century, the discovery of bacteria in the 19th, and the invention of vaccines in the 20th are some of the examples of what humanity can achieve when challenged with a seemingly unsolvable problem. True, we must overcome several hurdles, the resistance of political and profit-centered structures which have short-term benefits in an economy based on carbon fuels. But these barriers can be overcome in the 21st century through education and promotion, successful cases, and the inherently superior economics of a sustainable and renewable energy and resource based society. We will need political leadership at all levels to make it happen.

Future Plans Essay

Audra Metzler Future Plans After graduating from high school, I plan to attend a four year university followed by a four year graduate school and major in Adolescent Psychology. With this major I hope to eventually obtain a p. h. D. in the field. I intend on opening my own psychological practice after all of my schooling is completed. My secondary career choice is a registered dietician in which I would major in dietetics. I want to be an Adolescent Psychologist for several reasons. I love helping people and trying to find solutions for problems. I’m also intrigued in how people think and why the brain works the way it does. By becoming a psychologist I feel it will be fulfilling to know I am changing people’s lives for the better. I have taken multiple reading and writing classes in my past curriculum and am signed up to take both psychology and sociology next year. However, if that plan doesn’t fall into place my backup career will be a registered dietician. I will major in either dietetics or nutrition. By becoming a dietician, I would help people overcome health issues as well as institute proper nutrition that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. I am interested in how foods can affect the human body, and I have taken several science courses throughout high school. If I happen to encounter difficulties along my career path, I will not give up. Challenges along the way are expected, and looked at as a way to only grow stronger. For example, if money problems arise I will take out a loan that I can later pay back. I also have family and friends that support my decisions and would be there for me if I ever needed assistance. I feel that I am well equipped to achieve my dreams because of my positive attitude, determination, and will-power. By following through with these plans I will have a successful, enjoyable life that will be rewarding in the long run.

Ann's bad AIM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ann's bad AIM - Essay Example Thereafter, the rogue laptop disappeared. As a forensic investigator, the Stuff reported this matter to me seeking some help. In this investigation I must therefore find who Ann was IM-ing, whatever she sent and also recover evidence including the following: In this investigation I am basically dealing with a pcap file and must find a way to extract the information in it first before proceeding with the investigation further. Normally there are several ways of extracting information from pcaps. Black Bytes (2012) explores some of the most commonly used four ways to extract the information. First there is the Wireshark: http export, in this case a list of all files found in all the http requests are presented. The second tool is the Wireshark: export bytes, with respect to the protocol, you are obliged to drill down in the packed you want in order to find this. The third one is the Network Miner which mainly focuses on forensics analysis. The last tool presented by Black Bites is the Chaosreader. It is a tool that analyzes and extracts session information as well as files, it then creates html report that opens in any browser. Then next thing is the identification of Anns host IP connection. This is something I already know to be 192.168.1.158, when pcap file is filtered with tshark, we can possibly view the hosts that Ann communicated to. This is achievable through the command â€Å"tshark -r evidence.pcap -R" at the terminal. It is important to note that Anne communicated with two hosts one being a local host who is indubitably the intruder about the other an internet host. In my case the IP addresses for the hosts resulted from the simulation. In order to find out who the internet host is we use the "whos" command at the terminal. Ann communicated with someone via the IM program. We could possibly assume that the IM program is an AIM client, a suggestion that can be

Courtroom Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Courtroom Technology - Essay Example The result was a massive media spectacle. Some judges disapprove of cameras in the courtroom, suggesting that judges may end up playing up to the camera. It is generally considered a negative thing to have a great deal of media attention surrounding a trial as it may prejudice those involved. Different jurisdictions have different rules relating to this issue. Indeed, even some Supreme Court Justices have been somewhat schizophrenic on this issue. A few years ago, Justice Antonin Scalia, who has always taken a hard line against technology in the courtroom, expanded the notion of where technology was acceptable during a public speech he gave: During an April 7 speech by Scalia at a high school in Hattiesburg, a deputy federal marshal, Melanie Rube, demanded that AP reporter Denise Grones and Hattiesburg American reporter Antoinette Konz erase recordings of the justice's remarks. The reporters had not been told before the speech that they could not use tape recorders. When Grones resis ted, the marshal took the digital recorder out of her hands. The reporter then showed Rube how to erase the recording (AP). This issue caused a great deal of controversy at the time, and eventually led to an apology. Nevertheless, it has been reported that Justice Scalia is fond of the Ipad and uses it regularly. Clearly, the position of courts have everywhere have been evolving over the years. A timeline would suggest they have moved from conservative restriction to a more permissive, liberal approach. Standards vary from one jurisdiction and one judge to another. Indeed, other supreme court judges have been equally happy about the result of technology in the courtroom. One of the court's recent appointees, Justice Kagan, has the following to say about the huge amount of legal pleadings that justices have to work their way through: â€Å"At times there are as many as 50 friend-of-the-court briefs for one case. That is on top of the motions submitted directly by the named parties. So there is a lot of reading . . . And you know that's a big part of the job and if a Kindle or an iPad can make it easier, that's terrific" (Beahm). We see that people intimately involved in the judicial system have embraced technology in some ways, while rejecting it in others. We need to find ways to effectively implement technology across the board so long as it is helpful. There are a number of other ways that technology can be useful to those involved in the legal profession. For example, electronic discovery has made life very difficult for many lawyers. The sheer quantity of electronic documents involved in some cases makes it impossible to physically go through every document or email by hand. Special software is required to deal with these large quantities. This software can search through keywords to find important phrases or names. It can dramatically shorten the amount of time required to find what a lawyer is looking for. Both courts and lawyers can work together as pa rtners to develop and implement technologies in the courtroom. One system currently being used is called Digital Evidence Presentation System and allows for electronic, integrated presentation in the courtroom. As one expert says: â€Å"Although attorneys have significant control over the systems in the courtroom, the court has instantaneous override capability. With the touch of a button, a judge can turn off every screen in the courtroom, including the screens in the jury box and the large screen displaying

Explain and evaluate Hume's ideas on causation Essay

Explain and evaluate Hume's ideas on causation - Essay Example 48). Zubiri’s philosophy concurred with the thought of Hume in that problems faced cannot be solved with the same level of thinking when these problems were created. Hume believes that it is important to go deeper in order to comprehend and examine human intelligence on the same. Apparently, Hume is more concerned when people fail to examine causes adequately in order to perceive the metaphysical conclusions regarding the universe (Demeter, Murphy and Zittel, 2014, p. 324). However, this conclusion may seem skeptical since he does not recognize that functionality is related to the correctness of impression, not its content. Basically, Hume considers causality to play an important role in both in moral building and personal sphere. Hume has problem with scientific evidence. He asks whether these evidences stretch to the brink to be considered good evidence. According to Hume, there is a need to justify and rationalize on the evidence presented in order to belief about the things of the universe especially when these evidences are unobservable presented (Schmitt, 2014, p. 140). For example, one may have different variety of berries in a basket. After sampling of one type of berries in the basket, of which they have similar taste, then we conclude that all berries in the basket have the same taste. The first case is an inductive generalization in the perspective that all the members of a particular class are similar through observation. Two, there is an inductive prediction where the idea of same flavor of the berries is based on the assumption of the preceding observation, and three, there is casual generalization where Hume assumes that there is no way of determining the unseen power of some things. The significant of this problem to science is that, science tends to belief that whatever is happening in the universe is based on induction. The objection thus is science methods are just but mere superstitions