E-Business Essay Example for Free

E-Business Essay Supply chain management is a battery of procedures that involve planning, executing and organizing the operations of a supply chain (Haag et al. , 2006). Such cluster of procedures covers all activities of the GAP, including management of raw materials, inventory and final products at both the point-of-origin and point-of-consumption. Supply chain management requires the modification of management from a direct individual-based level of performance to an indirect marketing or integration of operations as key processes in the supply chain. One simple example involves the placement of purchase orders by the purchasing department of the company. This is then coupled by the communication of the marketing department with particular distributors and retailers. Such efforts in integrating several processes in order to maximize and speed up a general process may result in an extremely efficient company. The integration of the financing technology and supplier outreach services facilitates reduction in capital requirements and finance costs associated with the clients (Kemp, 2006). The reduction in requirements and costs is attained through indirect and full cyber marketing, which permits retailers and suppliers to register with the website and interactive with the supply chain system. Such technological innovation of doing e-business helps them track down the payments of any transactions completed or still in progress (Timmers, 2000). In addition, suppliers and buyers are able to work in partnership to settle the final price and this is usually done through the receipt of credit memoranda. Such setting facilitates a faster process of trading. The integration of operations enhances the relationship between the supplier and the buyer, regardless of employment, gender and physical backgrounds.

Causes and Effects of Job Stress

Causes and Effects of Job Stress Chapter no. 2 2) A review of literature Job stress has been recognized as a serious and chronic cause of individual suffering, irritation, strain and discomforts. As a matter of fact little research work has so far been carried out on the topic of job stress in Pakistan. On the other hand plenty of work has been done on the topic across the world particularly in the U.S.A and Europe. For the purpose of conducting review of relevant literature on the topic, the researcher was obliged to browse through Internet and to find relevant materials. The magnitude of research work done on job stress across the world and the quantum of data available on the topic on the Internet is phenomenal and is outside the scope of this chapter to incorporate it all. However an effort has been made to select a few closely related dissertations, reports and articles on the topic for review purpose. This review examines published evidences on the causes and effects of job stress, and the implications for nurses/employees in organisations. It is worth mentioning here that in todays dynamic world the nursing profession is considered to be full of stress. British Psychological Society, 1988 stated job stress as one of the top ten industrial diseases in the US†. Willcox (1994), reported that atleast 25% of the employees are psychlogically stressed at any one time. It has serious implications for the health of the workers in the society as a whole. The Health of The Nation (HMSO, 1992) describes that this area needs to be addressed to promote the health of the workers (government documents 1992). ‘Stress is â€Å"one of the most inaccurate words in the scientific literature† reported by williams (1994). The term sometimes indicates stressfull events and sometime indicate the effect of these events on work performance and sometime dis ordered health remarked by Maclean (1985). Marmot Et. Al 1987 reports that job stress is â€Å"lack of understanding how work enviroment make a person ill. Job stress refer to broad class of problems indicated by Lazarus (1971) â€Å"Any demand which atax the system, whatever it is, a physiological system, a social system or a psychological system, and the response of that system.† There is greater consensus about the meaning and effect of job stress. WHO (1986) stated that stress â€Å"is a dynamic state of mind characterized by reasonable harmony between a persons abilities, needs and expectations, and environmental demands and opportunities.† Prof. Cox (1993) concentrates on the importance for general health of a st ate of balance between needs and demands, citing the World Health Organisations definition of well-being: Research study on job stress concludes; Hans Selye (1956) is considered as the father of stress research. The Stress of Life (1956), a book by Hans Seyle introduced the concept of stress in the public domain and his General Adaptation Syndrome [GAS] is a popular one amongst the research scholor of psychology and management. Stress â€Å"a state, manifested by a specific syndrome of biological events† Selye (1974). He argued that stress is not entirely a bad event. According to him stress is the reaction of the physical body toward a situation or event, which is demanding. â€Å"Any kind of normal activity can produce considerable stress without causing any harmful effects† (Selye, 1974), Selye 1982 clearly state that the non specific implication of any demand put on the body be its effect mental or somatic. â€Å"The uncertainty that occurs at the organizational, unit, group, and individual levels. Uncertainty exists to the extent that knowledge about an event or condition requiring action or resolution is experienced as inadequate† reported by Schuler and Jackson (1986). Edwards (1988) view about the stress is that â€Å"A negative discrepancy between an individuals perceived state and desired state, provided that the presence of this discrepancy is considered important by the individual.† Taylor (1992) reported about stress in the following words â€Å"Demands made upon us [internally or externally] which we perceive as exceeding our adaptive resources. If we try to cope and that is ineffective this gives rise to stress. If this stress is prolonged then lasting psychological and physical damage may occur.† Hereby demands we do mean that arise from the workload or work burden. Cox (1993) perception of stress is from te assumption that stressor are discreat, time limited and various events of the life requiring adjustments or adaptaion are utterly associated with stress. Holmes and Rahe (1967) ranked the potential stressfull events which may be work or non work related such as death of spouse, divorce, marriage (not all negative), fired from work marital reconciliation, retirement, bussiness readjustment, change in work responsibilities trouble with boss change in work condition. (Holmes and Rahe, 1967). â€Å"Job stress is the sum total of factors experienced in relation to work which affects the psychosocial and physiological homeostasis of the worker. The individual factor is termed a stressor and stress is the individual workers reaction to stressors.† Suggested by Weiman (1977). Beehr and OHara (1987) used ‘stressor rather than ‘stress to refer to causal factors becauseâ€Å"few people misinterpret stressor to mean the persons reaction.† And uses ‘strain to mean â€Å"the state ofbeing stressed as evidenced by physiological, psychological or medical indices,† Hans Selye (1951) report about The General Adaptation Syndrome [GAS] states that, in response to a stressor, an initial ‘alarm reaction is followed by a ‘stage of resistance in which resistance to the original stressor builds up but ability to resist new stressors is lowered. Eventually a ‘stage of exhaustion sets in which ends in catastrophic inability to cope with any form of stress. 2.1 The human face of nursing, (2001): Commented on nursing profession; The female nurses faces challenging situations on daily basis. They face crying and dying patients and their task is stressfull , unrewarding and frightening. 2.2 The importance of the nursing profession is evident from the fact that the ILO has commissioned a manual with the title job stress in nursing profession to control and prevent the stress by Professor Cox (ILO 2001) 2.3 ILO (2001) reported. The occupation of nursing is related with challenges and demanding tasks. It is also full of overload, role conflit and role ambiguity. So, there is a great need to initiate a stress intervention and stress management program for nurses. 2.4 ILO(2001) presented that various research studies have tried to work out the effect of job stress on job performance and job satisfaction of nurses. It has been established that a negative relation exist between job stress and job performance and job satisfaction. 2.5 Health and Safety Executive (HSE 2001) research report with the title; the workplace stress epidemic; reveals that 53% of the employees have experienced a stress in the work place, International Stress Management Association (2001) found that one out of four working force have suffered due to stress related sickness. One out of five has suffered extreme stress in the work palce. 2.5 The HSE(2001) research found, a highky significant co relation between extreme stress and poor working condition. The employees have reported a wide rang of health problems and behavior problems, Professor Andy Smith have confirmed the fact that job stress is one of the most evident problem in the work enviroment. 2.6 The Bristol team(2000)has reported that 30% increase in job stress has been occurred in the work enviroment. The major problems indicated by job stress related illness are depression, anxiety, backach and musculo skeletal disorders. 2.7 Chartered Management Institute in 2001has found that long hours work load, working late at night has become a culture in the todays modern organization and as such are sources of job stress. 2.8 This study by the CMI and healthcare(2000), has reportd that 25% of the executive had gone on sick leave in the past one year due to job stress, 75% of the executive has reported that job stress was demaging their home life, health, performace at work and satisfaction level.. 2.9 The Health and Safety Executive (2001); research survey stated about sorces of stress and the circumstances which result in stress. The sources of stress are work overload, repetative work, role conflict, role ambiguity, danger, harasment and bullying, poor relation ship, in flexible shedule, lack of social support, confusion, lack of communication and poor working condition etc. 2.9.1Cary Cooper(1995), has argued that the trends in the american society are the major sources of job stress, such as working for long hours, down sizing and no contact culture. 2.10 According to Elizabeth Burtney (2002),who found the organization are full of stress and therefore we should focus on the stress intervention in the organization as wel as on stressed out indivisual. 2.11 Professor Stephen Palmer(2001)reported in his research study that stress in a universal thing. Everyone can be stressed and the threshold level of every body will be different. It depend on the person how he percieves a specific situation. Stress may be the result of the interactio between the person and enviroment. 2.11.1 Professor Cary Cooper (1995) has argued that insecurity in the organization stereo type attitude of the boss may be the major sources of stress. For employees it is necessary that they should have complete control on the job because of lack of control some time result in job stress. 2.11.2 Elizabeth Burtney of HEBS research(2004) reveals that stress in this modern world too carries a stigma in the closed style of management where the employees are expected to work hard and no concern is shown for their home life. The employees too never talk about the job stress. 2.12 Elizabeth Burtney of HEBS (2002)reported.That every job has some stress and the most stressful job is that where there is the element of change. Some professions such as health care education, games, and sports are highly stressful and risky. 2.13 Professor Cary Cooper(1997) has found the most stressful jobs of todays world. These are security personnels, social organization, education the proffession of nursing, medical and dentistry, sports and games, acting, jornalism, transportation and resturants. 2.14 Professor Cooper (1997)has assessedthat 60% increase in the job stress level has been occurred. Further he has measured the intensity of job stress in various proffession. 2.15According to an article with the title, â€Å"Job stress and job satisfaction† of employees in German radiotherapy (2001), which concludes that the greatest source of job stress stemmed from underpayment, crying patients,keeping patients fit and living,long hours, role conflict etc. Physicians and nurses showed a significantly higher stress level on scales such as structural conditions and particularly compassion than radiographers and physicists. Finally, rating of job stress and satisfaction depends significantly on the age group, gender, experience and the hospital. 2.16 K. CHANDRAIAH et. al. (1990) research study with title;Occupational Stress and Job Satisfaction among Managers, states;Individuals under excessive stress tend to find their jobs less satisfying. Some of their intrinsic or extrinsic needs may be thwarted or not met sufficiently.Corroborating many studies in the literature (Hollingworth et. al. 1988; Keller, 1975), the findingsof the present study also reveal the same. The subjects with lower job satisfaction were found to experience more stress in the form of overload,role ambiguity, role conflict, under participation, powerlessness and low status compared to those with higher job satisfaction. Age, therefore, was found to be of importance in these study findings. The results of the study reiteratethe significance of demands at each career development level as pointed out by Hallingworth.And the individuals encounter crisis at each developmental stage as hypothesized by Erickson.Significantly decreasing stress and increasing job satisfaction with increasing age was found among the managers and these confirm the importance of the developmental process. 2.17 An Empirical Study (1999) with title, â€Å"Effect of Job Stress† reported that; job stress is one of the vital issues in the organisation. It has been established that a negative relation exist between job stress and job performance, job stress and job satisfaction. 2.18 This review with title factors influencing stress and job satisfaction(2001): shows that various elements effect stress level and job satisfaction. These elements are leadership, quality control, relation between doctor and nurse. It has been established that a negative relationship exists between leadership, stress and job satisfaction. Although a positive relationship between clinical leadership and nurses job satisfaction was found, the association between clinical leadership and quality of inter-professional collaboration is unclear. The association between these variables and job satisfaction is positive but tenuous. In addition, a positive but weak relationship was revealed between the clinical leadership and the quality of relationships amongst nurses. Organisational issues, lack of nursing staff and patient care were found to be related to ward type mental health nurses stress emerged as mediating variables between stress and job satisfaction. 2.19 Beatrice et. al. (2002) has found that the higher is the demand on job the higher will be the stress and demanding job negatively affect the health of the nurses and result in deterioration of general health. 2.20 Center for Organizational Health and Development(2002) researched on job related stress in nursing:The research appears to support the view that, together, factors inherent in the nursing role and in the organizational culture within which the nurse works are as important a determinant of the experience of stress by nurses as the type of nursing pursued. Stress in nursing reflects the overall complexity of the nurses role, rather than any particular aspects of their individual tasks. Different nursing groups report similar levels of stress, the profile of stressors associated with those similar levels differed somewhat between groups. However, the inter-group differences reported in those studies and others are not sufficient to argue for the separate treatment of the various nurse groups which exist in hospitals. Therefore, while strategies forstress management needs to be tailored to the generic group, hospital-based nurses, they do not need to be further tailored to distingui sh between different types of hospital-based nurses. 2.21 HSE(1995) research study entitled health effects of stress in nursing† states that job stress negatively effect quality of nurses work it results in creating minor psychiatric morbidity, physical illness and a lot of other health related diseases. It also increases the musculo skeletal disorder and depression. Nurses are amongst those groups of profession which reported a higher level of stress. 2.22 The study here is of Kaohsiung City government employees, china human resource management deptt (2000), entitled job stress relation with social support and job performance.It has been proved in the above research study that there is great relevance between job stress and job performance. job stress is inversly propotional to job performance. Further social support has a great impact on level of job stress. Greater social support results in the reduction of stress level and hence increases the perfromance of the employees. The report also indicated that female employees feel more stressed as compared to male employees (Bheer 2000). 2.23 Ms santha et. al. (2003) research report has presented that the stress level of the employees has various effects on the employees as well as on the organization. Due to stress the employee may give more absenteeism, accidents, high turnover rate and impaired descion. Upto some extent stress may be a good thing. It gives the push and motivation to the employee. But extreme stress is harmful. It may result in poor performance and yet productivity of the employees is reduced. 2.24 NIOSH (1999) reported that; 40% of workers say their job is extremely stressfull. 26% of workers report burnout during working hours. 2.25 Davids and Theresas(1999)have reported that 25% of the employees have considered there job stressful, 75% of the employees say that the task is the modern organisation is more stressful than earlier. Job stress may give a lot of problems during the work and it is attached with health problems etc. 2.26 NIOSH (2001) model of job stress is self explanatory; STRESSFUL JOB CONDITION=RISK OF INJURY ILLNESS. (Individual/situation factor apply) 2.27 The NIOSH (1999) research study on gender and job stress finds that sex descrimination and role conflict and role ambiguity and family demand may have more severe effect on female employees. Stress can be reduced in the organisation by introducing a change in the workplace. It may result in the reduction of stress levels for both workers male and females. The organization should promote family friendly policiy, discourge sex descrimination. 2.28 The research study with the title Women in Construction† has reported that women in the construction industry have complaints of frequent harasment isolation and abuses by her co workers. The turn over of the female workers in the construction industry is higher as compared to others. Female labours in this industry are always at higher risk due to lack of safety measures and trainings. 2.29 In the research study by NIOSH (1999) of females workers in the internal revencue service (IRS), which states that musculoskeletal discomfort can be reduced to a great extent if periodic rest is provided to the worker during working hours. It may result in higer job performance. 2.30 NIOSH (2001) has presented in a survey that 60% of the woman workers have reported that stress is a great problem for them. They have cited that the following are the major sources of stress during job for females employees, role conflict and role ambiguity, poor relationship with other workers, burden of work, rush poor working enviroment, monotonus and repetitive work, lack of control over job, demands etc. 2.31 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2001) indicated that in the current era the stress related expenditure on employees is 50% higher than the early period. 2.32Encyclopaedia of Occupational Safety and Health(2001)states that high demanding jobs enhances the risk of cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, psychological problems, injuries at work, suicide, cancer, ulcer and impaired immune function. 2.33 NIOSH(2001) research report on job stress health and productivity states that job stress has inverse relation with productivity and it negatively affect the health of the employees. Stressful working condition results in poor health of the employees. Job stress increases absenteeism, tardiness, higher turnover and poor health. 2.34 Journal of Applied Psychology (2001)reseacrh report with the title â€Å"Stress Prevention and Job Performance† states that effect of intervention programe on job stress is very encouraging. The organization should educate employee on job stress, inform the employees regarding policies of the organization, how to reduce job stress and initiate employees support program. Stress prevention program encourage employees and results in enhanced production. 2.35 NIOSH (2000)has reported thaton average employees remain off the job for alost 20 days due to job stress, so job stress results in increased absenteeism. 2.36 The report by national insurance company 1992 enitiled employee burnout states that job stress directly propotional to burn out. Employees stress level should be reduced to avoid employees burn out. In the research study by the national insurance company that female workers feel more stressed than male workers. The chances of burnout and physical sickness related to job stress are more among female workers. The reason may be that the women are paid less than male workers. 2.37 European Agency (2001) research report has mentioned the following details which may be considered at the cost of Each year millions of working days are lost due to job stress. The cost of job stress in term of money is in millions of dollars. 2.38 Many studies have tried to determine the posible positive relationship between job stress and violance at work drug use. One study has established the fact that job stress creates negative indivisuals and has negative effect on the organization. The workers who experienced job stress start using drugs and alcohol and tobacco to reduce there tension, so job stress is one of the reason for drinking in the workers ILO (2001). 2.39 University of utara(2004), Malaysia, school of accounting, report on job stress among professional accountants working in selected public firms, a Malaysia case, establish and extends that job stressors faced by workers during job includes workload, role conflict, role ambiguity, lack of job autonomy and lack of job control. 2.40 A research report in Saudi Medical Journal (2003)titledâ€Å"Job satisfaction and organizationalcommitment â€Å" states that female nurses are more satisfied and contented in the public sector hospital, the study further reveals that satisfied nurses provide higher output as compared to less satisfied nurses. The other factor for higher production from nurses is there comittment toward job. 2.41 A report in journal of health (2003) with title â€Å"stress and suicide in nurses† revealed that the relation between stress and suicide remained U shaped.when the job stress and home stress are combined, five fold increase in risk of suicide among women occurs.risk of suicide among high stress women is more compare to low stress experience by women. 2.42 School of Health Science (2002),Blekinge Institute of Technology Karlskrona,Sweden entitled â€Å"job stress of nurses† concludes that stress contains amongst other the element of moral. There is shortage of nurses in the health care and organisational structure too impedes nursing performance to avoid the negative consequences of stress for nurses moral support is required. In ICU stress and complex situation are common for all nurses, the stress implication are sometime ethical issues, morbidity and burn out, the report revealed. 2.43 Queensland University of Technology(2002), thesis with the title â€Å"The influence of work stress and work support on burnout in public hospital nurses† States that female nurses with high level of stress and little support have experience high rate of burnout. Job stressors were the main predictors of Emotional Exhaustion, Conflict. Changes in the objective conditions at work have had major implications for nurses subjective experiences of work, with increasing numbers of nurses feeling stressed and as a consequence, are opting to work part-time or leave the profession 2.44 HSJ HEALTH SCIENCE JOURNAL(2005), REPORT CARRYING THE TITLE â€Å"job stress and job satisfaction†shows that a strong negative relationship was found between clinical leadership, inter-professional collaboration, and stress and job satisfaction. Although a positive relationship between clinical leadership and nurses job satisfaction was found, the association between clinical leadership and quality of inter-professional collaboration is unclear. The association between these variables and job satisfaction is positive but tenuous. In addition, a positive but weak relationship was revealed between the clinical leadership and the quality of relationships amongst nurses. Organisational issues, lack of nursing staff and patient care were found to be related to ward type mental health nurses stress emerged as mediating variables between stress and job satisfaction. 2.45 A research study by Deptt of medicine(2006). University of Ottawa, enitiled, â€Å"job stress corelation with job satisfaction and burn out†The findings are that medical staff frequently faces burn out due to high level of job stress. The turn over rate amongst the highly stressed workers are very high. The problem of burnout is common amongst the staff of cancer unit. 2.46 A research paper by School of Health Care Practice 2006, Anglia Polytechnic University, Chelmsford, Essex(2009), UK,entitled â€Å"Workplace stress in nursing† finds that workload, management style, professional conflict and emotional cost of caring and leadership style, lack of reward and shift working are the main sources of stress for nurses for many years. Stress management programe should concentrate on stress prevention as well as how organization should takle this vital issue. 2.47 The Graduate College University of Wisconsin-Stout (2005), Research Paper with title OCCUPATIONAL STRESS IN MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, concludes that,The mental healthcounselors involved in completing the survey instruments scored an average of2.57 on afive point scale, with past administrations of the Weiman Occupational Stress Scalehaving yielded a baseline score of 2.25. The mental health counselors in this study scoredon average 13% higher than the calculated WOSS baseline. Employees in publiclyfunded institutions (Winnebago Mental Health) experience greater perceived work stressthan those counselors in privately funded clinics. 2.48 Research studyconducted by Carol Brewer(2000)mentioned that new comers in the profession of nursing confront enhanced stress as compared to existing lot .New nurses have reported the following are the major sources of job stress for them; complex jobs ,long hours,overtimes frequently, role conflict, role ambiguity, dangerous working conditions,abuses, inadequate resources and strain. 2.49An Exploratorystudy(2001) to dig out the job stressors conducted in Tiawan on nurses concludes that changes in the todays organizations,role conflict, role ambiguity,lack of social support,working environment in the hospital, demanding job of nurses are the main stressors for nurses. 2.50 European Journal(2005) of Social Sciences, reportentitled â€Å"Link between Job Stress and Job Satisfaction† signify that job stress and job satisfaction are invrsely corelated. According to Stamps Piedmonte (1986) job satisfaction has been found significant relationship with job stress. One study of general practitioners in England identified four job stressors that were predictive of job dissatisfaction (Cooper, et al., 1989). In other study, Vinokur-Kaplan (1991) stated that organization factors such as workload and working condition were negatively related with job satisfaction. Fletcher Payne (1980) identified that a lack of satisfaction can be a source of stress, while high satisfaction can alleviate the effects of stress. This study reveals that, both of job stress and job satisfaction were found to be interrelated. The study of Landsbergis (1988) and Terry et al. (1993) showed that high levels of work stress are associated with low levels of job satisfaction. M oreover, Cummins (1990) have emphasized that job stressors are predictive of job dissatisfaction and greater propensity to leave the organization. Sheena et al. (2005) studied in UK found that there are some occupations that are reporting worse than average scores on each of the factors such as physical health, psychological well-being, and job satisfaction. The relationship between variables can be very important to academician. If a definite link exists between two variables, it could be possible for a academician to provide intervention in order to increase the level of one of the variables in hope that the intervention will also improve the other variable as well (Koslowsky, et al., 1995). 2.51 A Study of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction among UniversityStaff in Malaysia, a research article(2007)investigates what corelation exists between job stress and job satisfaction? Inverse relationship exists between job stress and job satisfaction. The stressors that have been taken for research contain leadership style and interference by management, relationship with peers, work burden, role ambiguity, and role conflict. 2.52Faculty of Education (2001), University of Ibadan, article entitledâ€Å"Effects of Job Stress† states that stress has negative effect on health, physical and mental, work behaviour,and performance,satisfaction level. 2.53 Heavy workloads, difficult students and lack of resources are stressing out Australian teachers (1999). Many also experience stress from increasing violence and bullying. In one recent year, 274 teachers in Victoria were either assaulted or threatened by students and another 70 were attacked by colleagues. Over the past five years , 910 teachers in Victoria and 1150 teachers in New South Wales have filed worker compensation claims for anxiety,depression,nervous breakdown and other stress related symptom. Union leaders say these figures are just the tip of the iceberg: Teacher are very reluctant to proceed with those claims because it just adds another problem and additional stress, explains Australian education union president John Gregory Teaching in Australia may be stressful, but the profession seems to be under siege in the Uk , Janice Howell a primary school teacher in Newport (South Wales)is one of the casualties. She initially had the assistance of an English language tea cher but that teacher took long-term leave with no replacement. Unable to cope with 28 kids, 11 of them with learning or behavioral difficulties, Howell had a nervous breakdown. After recovering several months later, Howell complained to the school about the intolerable stress. Rather than providing support, the school added two more troubled kids to Howells class. One student, new to Wales, ran away one morning and was seen playing near dangerous mudflats. Although he was taken home safely, no one told Howell until the end of the day. This led to Howells second breakdown, ending her career. From being a confident, well adjusted teacher who enjoyed her job I became depressed and dysfunctional, says Howell for the first time in my life I did hate to go to work. It got to the stage that I was physically unable to enter the classroom. 2.54 Nebuo Miuro (1999)quoted in the book about stress that employees are under a lot of pressure from his employer to get a new restaurant ready for its launch. The interiors fitter from Tokyo worked late, sometimes until 4.30 in the morning. After one such marathon, Miuro caught a few hour sleep, then return for another long day. But he didnt get very far. The 47 year old suddenly took ill and keeled over while picking up his hammer and nails. He died a week later. The corners verdict was that Miuro died of Karoshi_death by overwork. Karoshi accounts for nearly 10000 deaths each year in Japan. Research indicates that long work hours cause an unhealthy lifestyle such as smoking, poor eating habits, lack of physical exercise and sleeplessness. This result in weight gain, which, along with stressful working conditions, damages the cardiovascular system and leads to strokes and heart attacks. Karoshi came to the public spotlight in the 1970s when Japans economy was booming, but the cou ntrys current recession is making matters worse.companies are laying off employees and loading the extra work onto those who remain. Performance based expectations are replacing life qtime employment guarantees, putting further pressure on employees to work long hours. Many also blame Japans samurai spirit culture which idolizes long work hours as the ultimate symbol of company loyalty and personal fortitude. Being exhausted is considered a virtue

The Effectiveness Of Urban Renewal Strategies In The Sydenham Road Are :: essays research papers

Identification of a Question Sparkbrook is a typical inner city area of Birmingham; predominantly Victorian and Edwardian in character and its multi-cultural society live in a deprived district suffering from high unemployment and a generally poor quality environment. For such reasons it is part of a ‘regeneration’ scheme and this investigation will assess the success of this scheme. Development of Strategy The aim of the urban renewal programme is; to create sustainable structures of economic regeneration, to encourage business development and diversification, and to find solutions to serious social problems caused by the crisis situations that are common in many depressed urban areas. In order to assess the effectiveness of such plans both secondary – 1981 census detail, ward information and web sites, and primary data were collected. Unemployment levels, annual earning figures and the number of people that are employed in professional or managerial jobs are all great measures of the economical aspects. A marked positive alteration in these figures would indicate a success in the regeneration programme. Social aspects can be measured by reviewing crime rates, car ownership, private amenities and the property ownership - private or rented. The amount of pollution in the area, the aesthetic appreciation and housing density are all good measures of environmental aspects. Together the analysis of these three aspects and how they have altered since the programme has been introduced, should highlight the areas of success and failure thus showing the effectiveness of the scheme. Collection of Data The area of regeneration has undergone several changes in the past few years. For example a modern fitness centre had to be closed, as it was no longer financially viable, this is evidence that the local area is non-affluent as the people are unable to sustain a gym. In 1993 the aesthetic value of the area was heightened when the canal walk was opened. The linear areas along the canal are now going to be protected and enhanced. This is of great importance because the heavily built up character of Sparkbrook results in little space for recreational areas. A high percentage of the shops in Sparkbrook are closed and as the money available for housing improvements is strictly residential the shops that are present appear worn and in need of repair. The area also suffers from serious traffic congestion and so parking bays have been created along Fallows road, however the traffic still accumulates and when the stretch of road is clear it could encourage speeding as it is a stereotypical â €˜rat run’.

Racism in Literature Essay -- Literary Analysis

Literature Analysis Most literature authors write stories on different genres like poems, stories, and plays. These works are written using a variety of elements of literature for instance setting, themes, conflict, and characters. The following essay discusses the element of racism as a theme in Margaret Laurence’s short story â€Å"The Loons,† Langston Hughes’ poem, I Too, Sing America, and W.E.B Du Bois’ book, â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk.† â€Å"The Loons† is a short story that was done by Margaret Laurence together with other stories in the sequence â€Å"A bird in the House† and was published in 1970. The story centers on the narrator and the main character Vanessa McLeod, a white girl and her youth days in a fictional town known as Manawaka, Manitoba in Canada (Laurence, 2001). From Vanessa’s eyes, the audience is able to see the alienation and racism that Piquette Tonerre, a girl of Mà ©tis origin faces in society. The story has been set just before Vanessa’s father passes on and it helps her to open her eyes and see the suffering, cultural alienation, and racial discrimination of the Mà ©tis people a subgroup of the Canadian Aborigines. In the first part, Vanessa finds the Mà ©tis to be people who do not fit in the society due to their unknown descent. Her grandmother describes the Mà ©tis to be people of â€Å"†¦neither flesh, fowl nor good salt herring† (Laurence, 2001). This statement describes the people who are French half-breeds and their language is neither French nor Cree. These people do not belong to the Creoles who live on the mountains and neither to the French. They are a people who society alienates and discriminates because they do not belong. Grandmother McLeod does not want anything to do with Piquette. At one point, the McLe... ...r ideals. Fredrick insisted on â€Å"total assimilation through self assertion and nothing more.† Du Bois argued that the Negro could not progress if he is not educated, given freedom to vote, economically empowered and legal superiority (Du Bois, 1996). This book highlights the problem of racism in America in the 20th and 21st century. Du Bois set the pace for other black writers and civil rights activists like Dr Martin Luther King. This may not have been exactly out of the book, but it was the best that I could come up with and still make everything work the way I wanted it too. References Du Bois, W.E.B. (1996). The Souls of Black Folk. New York: Penguin Books. Langston H. (1932). The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. New York: Knopf Publishers. Laurence, M (2001). â€Å"The Loons.† Literature: An Introduction to Writing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001.

Comparison of XTO Energy and Devon Energy Companies :: Energy Business Companies Workforce Essays

Comparison of XTO Energy and Devon Energy Companies Company Background XTO Energy Inc. is a premier domestic natural gas and oil producer engaged in the acquisition, exploitation and development of quality, long-lived gas and oil properties. The Company, whose predecessor companies were established in 1986, completed its initial public offering in May 1993. Its properties and activities are concentrated in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Alaska and Louisiana. Competitive Environment XTO operates in the lower-cap oil and gas business. They compete directly with larger independent companies like Devon Energy, Anadarko, and Apache. XTO’s main focus is acquiring established, long-lived properties, which are low in risk, and apply the best technology possible to maximize production. Structure Based on interviews with management, we found that XTO’s management style encourages innovation. Employees are encouraged to ask for forgiveness and not permission. We’ve learned this semester through lecture and readings, that this management technique empowers employees and gives them the autonomy they like and the freedom to create. Employees that work under this type of management style are not faced with the possibility of loosing their jobs if they make a business decision that turns out to have negative consequences. Employees are free to innovate and take pragmatic risks. The company culture at XTO is described as laid back and relaxed. XTO believes that major oil and gas companies are unable to implement this type of culture due to their size. Since XTO is smaller, the company is able to deploy a much different policy from what the majors employ. As the company rapidly grows, this relaxed practice has become a concern for XTO’s management. The compa ny has recently grown so much that they’ve had to pull back slightly on the relaxed atmosphere. Management has been working with Human Resources to increase the amount of structure within the company. It remains to be seen if this policy will stifle company innovation. XTO’s main focus in managing people has been to adapt and adhere to employees’ interests and skills. If an employee becomes unproductive or disinterested with her current job accountabilities, management will find alternatives for the employee first before termination. Management will transfer an employee to a business unit where she may have the best opportunity to excel, and where her skill set and interests will be most utilized - an alignment with the â€Å"best practices† concept studied in this course.

Foundation of Business Law

Charlie is going to rescind the contract. He demands return of his money and compensation for the loss of commission on several high profile sales of his business. He wants to rescind the contract because the package of software recommend by Carmine was obsolete, despite Carmine’s assurances. This problem is concerned with the contents of the contract which is term in the contract, the misrepresentation and unconscionable conduct.Charlie will claim that Carmine verbal assurances about the condition of the package of the software which recommended by Carmine was unable to utilise the Land Titles Office’s electronic lodgement of documents. Carmine will refer to the written contract which contains a clause that there is no warranty is given about or the quality of the software. But the parol evidence will support Carmine’s contention that the contract between Charlie and Carmine which contains all the terms of the agreement.As these terms are clear and unambiguous, but there are no evidence can be admitted to change their contract. Charlie will claim that the â€Å"Contract of Sales† because that contract between he and Carmine was no in complete record. He will persist that it is an unclear and ambiguous written contract. If want applying the guidelines for the incorporation of oral terms it should show the guarantee about the software package in the term of the contract: * Timing of the statement Before signing the contract, Carmine have already assured Charlie.About that the software package was widely used by several of well-established real agencies in South Australia and was â€Å"more than adequate for a small agency which was treated as a term: Van den Esschert v Chappell (1960) WAR 114. * Where one of the parties has special skill and knowledge Carmine is a representative of Realtor Data Ltd which is a computer company that specialises in software for the real estate industry. So he has more knowledge and skill about the softw are than Charlie: Dick Bentley Productions v Harold Smith Motors (1965) 1 WLR 623. * Importance of the statementBefore signing the contract, Carmine has already repeated a request for assurance that the software can download all the conveyancing forms necessary for electronic lodgement at the Lands Titles Office, in the statement about the software was very important in the minds of both parties: Couchman v Hill (1947) KB 554. * Reduction of the term into writing The court will ask Charlie, why he does not persist to record the term in the written Contract of Sale: Routledge v Mckay (1954) 1 All ER 855. Charlie was unaware about the package of the software because he only has a basic knowledge about the software.Charlie can claim that the promise made by Carmine: ‘he assured Charlie would meet all his agency equipment’, it is a term of a separate or collateral contract which is supported by the consideration of entering into the main contract: De Lassalle v Guildford (1 901) 2 KB 215. The requirements of a collateral contract are as follow: * Promissory statement In the statement must have been promissory: JJ Savage & Sons Pty Ltd v Blakney (1970) 119 CLR 435. Carmine has already assured Charlie that he would meet all his agency requirements, which have already makes a promissory to Charlie.That mean the package of software can help Charlie download all the conveyancing forms necessary for electronic lodgement at the Charlie’s office. * Intention The promissory statement must have induced the other party to enter the contract: J Evan & Son (Portsmouth) Ltd v Andrea Merzario Ltd (1976) 1 WLR 1078. Charlie had signed and entered into the contract because Carmine assured Charlie that the package of software was widely used by several companies in South Australia and it is adequate for a small agency. Besides hat, Carmine also assured that Charlie would meet all his agency requirements. So, Charlie was induced and signed the contract. * No incon sistency There must be no inconsistency between the collateral contract and the term of the main contract: Hoyts v Spencer (1919) 27 CLR 133. This is an area difficultly for Charlie because the written contract does not record the oral promissory made by Carmine. Charlie asked Carmine that is the software suitable for his company use and Carmine has assured Charlie that it is suitable for his company but this is not written in the contract.Charlie has signed the contract without noticing that parol was not recorded in the written contract. If he sign the contract that means he has confirm the contract. Charlie would succeed in an action for misrepresentation. Carmine has made a statement of fact about the package of software (‘this package is widely used by several of well-established real agencies in South Australia wand was more than adequate for a small agency’) that is false and which has induced Charlie to signed and entered the contract. As a result of Carmine mis representation Charlie has suffered loss and damage of his company.It is fraudulent misrepresentation because Carmine knew that the package of software had already obsolete and had lie to make the sale. Charlie can rescind the contract and claim loss in the tort of deceit: Derry v Peek- Graw 12. 7. 2). Charlie can rescind the contract for unconscionable conduct. Carmine has destroyed the inequality in bargaining power that exists between him and Charlie. He is in much stronger position as a software dealer compared to Charlie who is in the weaker position as he just has basic knowledge of the software: CBA v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447.Conclusion * The parol evidence rule support Carmine contention that the contract between Charlie and Carmine contains all the terms of the agreement. * Charlie would argue that the contract is partly written and partly oral contract, so that is an incomplete contract. * Charlie can seek rescission of the contract and claim Carmine that his damages in t ort of fraudulent misrepresentation. * Charlie can rescind the contract between him and Carmine. References Foundation of Business Law 2012

Management and Keller Essay

The centre of the case is a problem between tow management member, Wolfgang Keller (managing director) and Dimitri Brodsky (commercial director). Keller is superior of Dimitri and he he’s not satisfied with Dimitri’s performance since he joined the company two years ago. Keller now is considering three options: firing Brodsky, helping him to improve his performance or reorganizing the company around Brodsky by splitting marketing and sales. Wolfgang Keller is 34 years old. He studied at Harward and University of Cologne. His first job was at a Gemran food manufacturer firm. First, he was a strategic planner there, but soon he became a general manager at an Ukrainian subsidiary and after he got promoted to be a general manager at a German subsidiary. He achieved his first big successes there and gained reputation in his profession. After 2 years he switched to the Ukrainean subsidiary of Kà ¶nigsbrau, a beer amnufacturer, as managing director. There he also made success by increasing the subsidiary’s earnings to â‚ ¬7 million per year. He made significant changes through restructuring the marketing strategy and hiring new top-management group. The top-management in Munich was also impressed by his activity. Recently, Keller spent two month in Brazil to manage a start-up joint venture. Kà ¶nigsbrau’s Ukrainean subsidiary was founded 12 years before Kà ¶nigsburg aquired it. After, a man named Vladimir Antonov took the title of chaiman. Keller could get his job, because his predecessor had bad relationship with Antonov, so he was transfered back to Germany. Keller’s relationship with Antonov is good, but Antonov misses being involved into daily operations. The strategy of the company is to consolidate and strenghten the company’s distributors by offering heavy support. The strategy also includes heavy advertising, quality services and high margins. In the Ukrainian liqueur market personal relationships and trust between the company and distributors is essential. Another challange is converting people from vodka and cheap beers towards premium beers. Keller’s intention was to strenhgten relationships and create personal contacts with the distributors. Dimitri Brodsky is 10 years older than Keller and he has a very different personality. He is a cultivated and intellectual person. Before this firm he was a commercial director at a Ukrainian subsidiary of a US toiletries firm, but he also has experience from the United States and France. He was hired to balance the young  managers at Kà ¶nigsbrau. He has a good but distant relationship with Antonov. The problem between Brodsky and Keller is the very different uptake about how to handle the employees and the business partners. Keller prefers closer relationship with the employees, because he thinks this helps them to be more loyal and enthusiastic. Furthermore, he doens’t avoid personal topics. With the costumers and partners he encourages the same attitude, because he thinks it’s very important and essential for a business relationship. Brodsky, on the contrary, prefers formality and distance. He also beleives in separation between the pesonal and professional life and he deals with the employees and costumers this way. The source of problem between h im and Keller is this different attitude. Keller thinks that Brodsky is just reluctant to take care of everyday business. However, Keller seems inpatient and action-oriented from Brodsky’s angle.