Discussion about Gods Country and American know-How an Example by

Discussion about Gods Country and American know-How What is American dream? Who are Americans? Why this nation consider themselves number one in the world? All these questions are interconnected. A dream about equal possibilities for everyone is phantom because each person is not equal by capabilities, someone was born handsome someone ugly, one can be intelligent or stupid, strong or weak. A person who was born in a rich family certainly has more possibilities than someone from an average family. But why is this myth so popular? In my opinion, because it is thoroughly nurtured by those who can benefit from hard work of a person who is blinded by his eagerness to achieve material success. This person is not aware that his profit will not compensate his loss of time, energy and health. (Baritz 1985) Need essay sample on "Discussion about Gods Country and American know-How" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The circle of interests of such a person is limited by his couch, television and refrigerator. I think that superiors of this world stimulate such a life style because such a narrow-minded human mass can be easily ruled and manipulated. Large companies are interested to develop consumption instincts of average citizens. They aspire to expand their market and in order to get more goods a person has to spend more money and to spend more money one has to work harder. Unfortunately simple life style is not popular today. USA consumes the biggest part of world resources and I think it is not good when one country lives at the expense of others covering itself by false slogans about liberating other countries. (Baritz 1985) Vietnam and Iraq I am sure that so-called peace-making wars have no other motives but to capture control over natural resources. It is evident that the real purpose of war with Iraq was to get access to oilfields. As far as I know Iraq possesses 20% of world recourses of oil and prime cost of its production is one of the cheapest. Economy of USA is dependent on oil. It is very possible that after war with Iraq USA can unleash war with Iran. Actually the question of relationship between America and Muslim world is very interesting. This war can also be called ideological because it is confrontation of two cultures. It seems to me that USA rather aggressively imposes its values to other world and this influence is not always good, Middle East is more traditional and people are still loyal to laws of Koran. I consider that nowadays Muslim world is more faithful to its values than Christian one. One more reason of this confrontation is the difference between levels of life of these countries. American in tervention into Iraq provokes acting and potential terrorists to using any kinds of geophysical weapon. (Baritz 1985) What it means to be an American It is not truth that Americans are the freest nation in the world because they are slaves of their own illusions. I have an impression that they are ignorant about cultures of other countries especially of Asia and Eastern Europe. This ignorance allows them to consider their nation God-chosen comparing to other nations. I think it is very nice to love own country and to be proud for own nation. But considering oneself better than others using these others in ones own interests is nothing but expression of grown ego. No one was happy following the path of increasing ego. But Americans do not want to accept the truth. They prefer to hide it covering by pure motives of liberating other countries. I believe that the strength of America is in its spirit but abuse of strength ruins this spirit. Unleashed wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Yugoslavia will always remain indelible stain on historical tuxedo of USA. (Baritz 1985) Sources Baritz, Loren "God's Country and American Know-How", from Backfire, NY: Morrow, 1985 (19-54).

buy custom Hydrogen Powered Vehicles essay

buy custom Hydrogen Powered Vehicles essay Research shows that hydrogen vehicles are the vehicles that use hydrogen as the main fuel for movement power. These include hydrogen fueled space rockets, automobiles as well as other vehicles used for transportation purposes. In most cases, the power producers of such vehicles tend to convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy through burning hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. In addition, they can be converted through the reaction of hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to move the electric motors. Most people or vehicle firms are implementing the use of hydrogen for improving transportation in order to save on the economy of hydrogen. The hydrogen powered vehicles applies hydrogen as a fuel for motive power and it has shown to be the perfect option for a fuel source basing on the fact that fossil fuels on which most people are relying on currently are going to exhaust in future. Literature Review Research shows that hydrogen fuel is an energy carrier since it does not occur naturally on earth, hence not a source of energy. Today, hydrogen fuel is made from methane as well as other fuels (Bose, 2007). Hydrogen fuel can still be produced from other sources inclusive of solar, wind, or nuclear. These sources are known to be intermittent, extremely diffuse and highly cumbersome to enhance vehicles directly. In order to develop technologies that are low in costs, high quantities and compete favorably with the traditional energy sources, there is the integration of electrolysis of water to hind hydrogen plants in place. A high number of organizations are working extremely hard to establish technologies that may effectively exhaust the potential of hydrogen energy for automobile uses. A sizeable number of vehicles are already using hydrogen in different ways. For instance, currently there is a vehicle that uses solar power through the application of a regenerative fuel cell in maint aining energy in the form of hydrogen and oxygen gas. Research shows that such vehicles have the power of converting the fuel back into the water in order to release the solar energy. The production of hydrogen vehicles and some other automobiles are increasingly developing currently by various producers. Hydrogen is gaining high popularity among the users of nature given the fact that hydrogen is free from emission. In most cases, hydrogen powered vehicles employ hydrogen as the best catalyst to establish electric energy. In such cases, reactive fuel applies hydrogen to produce electricity that is used in providing power to the vehicle. In these vehicles, the chemical energy of hydrogen is changed to mechanical energy either through combustion or electrochemical conversion in a fuel cell. According to some literature reviews, there are different types of fuel cells where some cells are common to all. These involve the anode, electrolyte and catalyst which make the composite structure of fuel cells. According to the research, component of the anode is the negative point, whereas the cathode is the positive point of cell. Electrolyte is made from the solid polymer while the catalyst in the cell is made of platinum. In most cases, every component in the hydrogen powered vehicles has its own function which it plays because it is allocated a specific task. Hydrogen is put into the anode of the cell as the first step while the oxygen is provided by the atmosphere through the cathode. In addition, the anode through the assistance of the catalyst to separate the hydrogen cells and remove electrons from it, hence makes the electrons to be passed to a different external circuit. This make sit easy to form an electric current. Therefore, through the electric current produced, th e vehicle is able to move forward. As a result the hydrogen cells devoid of electrons and the electrons that were transferred to the outside circuit are brought back in order to combine with oxygen. Depending on the reaction made by the catalyst between the two components, there is the formation of water. Moreover, there is the arrangement of cells in a certain pattern in order to enhance the energy that is needed so as to power a hydrogen vehicle. Further research shows that in most hydrogen powered vehicles, hydrogen is combusted in engines in the same way that gasoline is done in traditional gasoline internal combustion engine vehicles (Padro, 2000). This makes the engine to function in a traditional manner, although there is a small modification in fuel storage and engine body. These engines are developed in away that lead to the burn of hydrogen to provide energy, hence not producing any dangerous gases. According to the studies, each invention and discovery creates a step near to a new and advanced technology that makes the work relatively easier. Thus, various researchers are dealing and working extremely hard to make hydrogen the effective and efficient fuel of the future. The main intention of such innovations is to produce environmental friendly hydrogen powered vehiclesthat could later replace gas powered vehicles. In most cases, hydrogen is known to be a sensitive component particularly to auto ignition and backfires. The high temperatures produced by the combustion of hydrogen create an efficient engine, although may produce some nitrogen oxides, as well as water vapor. Therefore, due to the combustion properties of hydrogen vehicles, there is the possibility of hydrogen to power a traditional internal combustion engine as long as some more advanced modifications are made. This is in order to prevent flashbacks toward the usage and choosing the necessary materials for hydrogen. Researchers reveal that it is difficult for such engines to emit carbon dioxide, but instead it produces only vapour and a sizable amount of nitrogen oxides as by products of combustion. Because, hydrogen powered vehicles are enhanced by a fuel cell, such fuel based engine are mostly noiseless, do not produce pollutants, have a significant, long autonomy and a short refueling time compared to battery charging powered electric vehicles. When the vehicle is idle and may be held on jam it does not use energy and usees less gas at a significantly lower speed. Therefore, this implies that hydrogen powered vehicles are extremely economical and they provide a considerable number of green benefits. This is because even a small rise in the fuel emissions creates a tremendous difference in the entire life of the vehicle. A hydrogen powered vehicle reduces emissions by 20 to 30 percent over the most fuel efficient gas powered models (Adams, 2005). This, thus, shows the safety and effectiveness of the hydrogen powered vehicles. For instance, such vehicles have ample mileage, however, a person may save even more through the usage of the same kind of driving habits that provide th e driver better mileage. The whole country or the world turning to vehicles powered by hydrogen fuels instead of fossil fuels will automatically offer a considerable benefit both environmentally and health wise. The recent research shows that converting all vehicles in society to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles could result into improved air quality, health and climate significantly. This is because there will be the elimination of vehicle exhaust. For instance, studies show that wind and natural gas are excellent providers of the extreme potential of health benefits and, thus, could help to save a substantial number of the lives of people annually. The best benefit to the climate includes the wind which leads to the production of hydrogen through the wind electrolysis according to the current studies. The above literature reviews have made a significant contribution to this research through the provision of the necessary information required in completion of the research. For instance, through such literature reviews, there is relevant information that shows how the new technology of using hydrogen in vehicles is quite appealing to the people because of the benefits it provides. For instance, the hydrogen powered vehicles providemeans of making power extremely efficient and with less pollution. The studies also provided information concerning an electrochemical energy conversion device that is crucial in transforming the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, hence, producing electricity in the process. In normal circumstances, a battery involves all its chemicals stored inside and it changes those chemicals into electricity. This implies that the battery may need a recharge or be thrown out once it dies. However, with the fuel cell, chemicals are continuously flowing into the cell and this makes it to last longer without dying. The reviews, thus, helped in building the research because through reading such literature, the research was able to be accomplished. For instance, it was revealed that hydrogen vehicles use hydrogen as the foremost source of power for movement. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Literature Review The strength of the above literature review was shown through the abundance of the information they offered throughout the research process. For instance, the research demonstrated that through the use of hydrogen in vehicles, there will be a reduced burning of increasingly limited petroleum reserves to power the vehicle. In such cases, a hydrogen internal combustion engine would be free from pollution and there will be no carbon emissions related to gasoline powered internal combustion engines. Apart from internal combustion powered vehicles, hydrogen can be employed to power vehicles through a fuel cell. This helps in separating one electron in a hydrogen element from a proton and applies the electronic to emit a stream of electricity. In addition, the literature was legitimate because it explained that fuel cells do not need fossil fuel to function, thus no pollution produced, hence making them the best option for internal combustion engine as the energy sources for the vehicles o f the twenty first century. However, the literature reviews had some weaknesses that did not provide or make the best contribution to the research. For instance, some literature sourses did not have the significant information concerning the topic of the study. Results of the Study The results show that information concerning the hydrogen powered vehicles is known and a considerable number of manufacturers are moving toward the production of such new advanced technologies. In addition, the research shows that the use of fossil fuels like petroleum and coal are the remains of the past buried beneath the earths surface many years ago. This implies that hydrogen powered vehicles have already found their way in the world. Therefore, through this research, relevant information concerning hydrogen powered vehicles is clearly explained. Discussion of the Results From the above research, the twenty first century is known to be a time of transformation because it will see the end of the widespread application of fossil fuels. The research shows that the use of fossil fuels like petroleum and coal are the remains of the past buried beneath the earths surface many years ago. This implies that hydrogen powered vehicles have already found their way in the world. This is because hydrogen is the most element that is in excess on the earth, hence hydrogen powered vehicles would make the limelight in the future (United Nations Environment Program, 2006). Although, hydrogen vehicles are not yet available in the market for use by the consumers, a good number of producers are showing of their idea cars and prototypes to get consumers interested about the coming years. Therefore, as a result of research, information concerning the hydrogen powered vehicles is known and a considerable number of manufacturers is moving toward the production of such new adva nced technologies. This is because they are affordable in terms of energy use, they are environmentally conducive and are safe. However, the main challenge for such new technologies includes the establishment of less expensive technology and a refueling infrastructure to meet the consumers needs. Therefore, the research is a confirmation of the previous studies concerning hydrogen powered vehicles where the inventions of such vehicles have been proved and most producers are working towards meeting the demands of people in all areas. Conclusion Through the study of hydrogen powered vehicles, a significant number of lessons or issues was learnt. For instance, through the research, it was revealed that hydrogen powered vehicles applies hydrogen as fuel for motive power and it has shown to be the perfect option for fuel source basing on the fact that fossil fuels on which most people are relying on currently are going to exhaust in future. A sizeable number of vehicles are already using hydrogen in different ways. For instance, currently there is a vehicle that uses solar power through the application of a regenerative fuel cell in maintaining energy in the form of hydrogen and oxygen gas. Each invention and discovery creates a step near to new and advanced technology that makes the work relatively easier. Thus, various researchers are dealing and working extremely hard to make hydrogen the effective and efficient fuel of the future. In most cases, hydrogen powered vehicles employ hydrogen as the best catalyst to establish ele ctric energy. In such cases, reactive fuel applies hydrogen to produce electricity that is used in providing power to the vehicle. In these vehicles the chemical energy of hydrogen is changed to mechanical energy either through combustion or electrochemical conversion in a fuel cell. Therefore, this implies that hydrogen powered vehicles are extremely economical and they provide a considerable number of green benefits. This is because even a small rise in the fuel emissions creates a big difference in the entire life of the vehicle. Therefore, from the above discussion, hydrogen powered vehicles are the best way to go for anyone intending to own a vehicle. This is because of the significant benefits that come with it just as discussed above. However, the study did not provide enough information concerning the negative issues of using the hydrogen powered vehicles. Therefore, future researches need to take that in mind seriously. Lack of inadequate information on the negative side of the hydrogen powered vehicles is the main weaknesses the study encountered. Nevertheless, the study showed its strength in discussion the most relevant issues concerning the topic such as the benefits and what is meant by the hydrogen powered vehicle, as well as how it works. The study could, therefore, be applied or used to create awareness among people in the society in the need to use such vehicles as a way of meeting going up to standard at present and future generations. This is because hydrogen powered vehicles promote a green environment free from pollution from vehicles. Buy custom Hydrogen Powered Vehicles essay

Interviewing a relative or friend about managerial accounting Essay - 1

Interviewing a relative or friend about managerial accounting techniques used in their work and writing a summary of the interview - Essay Example I took the opportunity to go to Kim’s company since I did not want to interview him at home. I met his secretary who allowed me to go and see him. I wanted our conversation to be as formal as possible since I had interacted with him on other platforms. After some orientation on the operations of the company, I engaged Kim with questions. Firstly, I focused on understanding the costing systems in the company. Kim was aware that there was a cost accounting system that the company used though he did not know precisely what is was called. However, he was quite clear that the overall cost of production required to be considered in the resource management. Since the company does not have many operations, Kim said that they have simplified financial control system to ensure that operations are run efficiently. At Km’s company, the review of the costing systems is usually done after every one year citing issues of inflation and changing economic patterns. Being a senior manager, Kim has a role in financial decision making in the organization. The senior management usually meets weekly to deliberate on the company operations, trends, acquisitions among other issues. The company uses the break-even analysis in making its financial decisions. This ensures that the company is capable of getting to know its position relative to its profitability. Kim plays a major role in decision-making. As a senior manager, he has a vote in facilitating a consensus on the way the resources in the company are to be spent. In addition, he has the role of ensuring that his department ‘is allocated the resources that are required. In the management, he has the role to defend his projected expenditures as well as giving financial reports on the operations within the department. Kim tells me that the organization is very keen on its budgets. The budgets are

Russian history, Dr. Zhivago Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Russian history, Dr. Zhivago - Essay Example The discussion about land reform weighs heavily on their minds and takes place on the country estate of an aristocratic patron of the arts. Kolya is described as a future famous writer, and it is important to note the future that Russia and its upper class were soon to face: one in which people like the Zhivago's were to lose their possessions and their status under the new Socialist system. The second chapter elucidates the political implications of the strikes, and the various characters' involvement in them. Madame Guishar is called a member of the aristocracy, but she is dependent on Komarovsky for her well-being and financial stability. Lara feels that she is enslaved by the lawyer, and Yura immediately senses Komarovsky's power over her. The Guishar family is not enmeshed in the political changes taking place, but Lara's association with the young rebels and her family's fear of attack shows the all-encompassing power of the imminent societal changes rumbling below. There is a sense of impending and wide-sweeping transformation taking place, though some feel that the final resolution lies in the czar's manifesto. The connections between all the various plot lines seem to imply that there is no action that is not tied to others, and there is no life that stands independently. At the same time, Pasternak creates the sense that all of the diverse movements leading up to Madame Guishar's attempted suicide exist largely to bring Yura and Lara together. In the fourth chapter, many young characters of the novel find themselves in the throes of World War I, in which Russia suffered heavy casualties. The Russian army was ill equipped to fight on such a large scale, and many soldiers fought without weapons or shoes. The war was devastating, of course, not only to soldiers, but also to Russia at large. By the end of 1915, there were manifold signs that the economy was breaking down under the heightened strain of wartime demand. The main problems were food shortages and rising prices. Inflation rapidly forced down real incomes, and shortages made it difficult to buy even what one could afford. Shortages were especially a problem in the capital, Petrograd (formerly the City of St. Petersburg), where distance from supplies and poor transportation networks made matters particularly bad. Shops closed early or entirely for lack of bread, sugar, meat and other provisions. And lines grew for what remained. It became increasingly difficult both t o afford and to buy food. Not surprisingly, strikes increased steadily from the middle of 1915. And so did crime. But mostly people suffered and endured--scouring the city for food (working-class women in Petrograd reportedly spent about forty hours a week in food lines ), begging, turning to prostitution or crime, tearing down wooden fences to keep stoves heated for warmth, grumbling about the rich, and wondering when and how this would all end. With good reason, government officials responsible for public order worried about how long people's patience would last. The war affects the characters in the novel in different ways. Pasha sees it as an opportunity to escape from his unsatisfactory marriage, Zhivago is called upon to apply his medical skills toward an unsavory task, and Misha finds himself contemplating his own position as a member of the

Reducing Occupational Stress in Air Traffic Control

Reducing Occupational Stress in Air Traffic Control Recommendations and Conclusions Introduction In this chapter, the researcher has formulated a set of recommendations based on data found in the finding and analysis chapter in line with the objectives of the dissertation to help in reducing occupational stress in air traffic control. Improving job planning and reliability of the work systems According to Glovanni Coasta (1995), from the past technical means to present support, under full radar coverage of air space, is the key factor which allows a â€Å"jump in quality†, not just in terms of work competence, but likewise in terms of stress levels, by decreasing cognitive, memory and communicative loads along with uncertainty and unforeseeability of the situations. The more technological passage to function under â€Å"multi-radar† assistance permits an additional rise in levels of reliability and safety as well as a reduction in stress levels. These improvements allow for well planning of air traffic and, subsequently, a more balanced workload among individual ATCs. These improvements may also subsequently reduce the possibility or the seriousness of many unforeseen situations, by allowing for more reliable information and more time for solving problems and making decisions, while eliminating many stressful and risky traffic peaks. Reduction of working times and arrangement of working teams and rest pauses in relation to the workload The mental strength required maintaining the maximum level of attention and vigilance, as well as to securely and efficiently facing the duty in terms of cognitive and memory load that can differ usually in relation to air traffic concentration and connected problems. Therefore, to guarantee the best level of performance efficiency avoiding excessive mental stress and fatigue, particular attention has to be paid to arranging duty periods. Duty periods: The length of the duty period should not exceed ten hours (extendable to 12 hours in special circumstances), and should be adjusted according to the workload; An interval of no less than 12 hours should be scheduled between the conclusion of one period of duty and the commencement of the next period of duty; Overtime should be an exception. Breaks during operational duty: No operational duty shall exceed a period of two hours without there being taken, during or at the end of that period, a break or total break not less than 30 minutes; During periods of high traffic density, the possibility of having more frequent short breaks (ten minutes) should be provided; A sufficiently long break for meals should be allowed, providing adequate canteen facilities to assure hot and good quality meals. Arrangement of shift schedules according to psycho-physiological and social criteria Shift work, in particular night work, is a stress factor for the ATCs due to its negative effects on various aspects of their lives. This stress can be eliminated by adopting a rapidly-rotating shift system, changing work shifts every one or two days instead of every week. Moreover, reducing the number of consecutive night shifts as much as possible and having a day’s rest after the night-shift period. This prevents accumulation of sleep deficit and fatigue, and allows a quicker recovery. Delaying the beginning of the morning shift (e.g. at 07:00 or later) to allow a normal amount of sleep. Preferring the forward rotation (e.g. morning-afternoon-night) to the backward one (e.g. afternoon-morning-night) to allow a longer period of rest between shifts). Adjusting the length of shifts according to the physical and mental workload that is day shifts should be shorter, whereas night shifts could be longer if the workload is reduced and there are sleeping facilities. Improving the work environment Lighting Taking into consideration that the ATCs task is performed almost exclusively in front of a visual display unit, particular attention should be paid to providing lighting conditions which favor an optimal visual performance. Inside the towers, the opposite is the problem. It is necessary to avoid excessive illumination levels due to external bright light using both anti-reflection glass and curtains; it is also important to have the possibility of positioning and shielding the visual display units to avoid indirect glare due to bright reflections on the screen. Noise The main sources of noise are represented by conversations, manual operations (e.g. manipulations of strip supports) and office machines (printers, telephones, photocopiers, etc.). Therefore particular attention has to be paid in order to stop background noise from exceeding 45-50 dB by installing quieter office machinery, arranging work sectors in order to have better sound protection from each other, and installing more insulating headsets and more sensitive microphones. Arranging workplaces according to ergonomic criteria Workstation design It is also important to arrange the layout of the workplace in order to avoid glare caused by excessive brightness contrasts between different objects and surfaces; it causes discomfort and hampers the comprehension of the information. The displays should be shaded and the surfaces matte, avoiding the use of reflective materials and bright colors on table-tops and consoles. Data displays containing flight information should preferably be located beside the radar screen. Sitting postures A prolonged, constrained sitting posture causes muscular-skeletal discomfort and pain, particularly at the level of the neck, the shoulders and the lumbar tract. In order to avoid or alleviate such disturbances, it is important to use suitable chairs which allow a comfortable sitting posture while working, as well as useful muscle relaxation while on stand-by or resting in front of the screen. Individual ways of coping with stress First of all, people should avoid ineffective ways of coping, which can have an apparent short term positive effect but, in the long run, can cause further problems in health and well-being. We refer in particular to smoking. Increasing smoking (for smokers) is sometimes seen as a way of obtaining a sense of relief and calmness. Of course, apart from short-term relief, there are many adverse effects both on performance efficiency, due to interference with the upper nervous system activities, and on health, due to increased risk of lung tumors and chronic bronchitis from smoking. Secondly, maintaining good physical fitness and emotionally stable psychic conditions are the best aids in fighting and overcoming stress. To stay in satisfactory condition, people should pay particular attention to physical exercise, eating habits, sleeping patterns, relaxation techniques and leisure activities. Relaxation techniques are becoming more and more popular among people who feel to be under stress. Massage, yoga, meditation and autogenous training are all useful exercises which help to control restlessness, anxiety, muscular tension, inability to concentrate, insomnia and other symptoms of stress. Training The aim of training is at teaching occupational and particular coping strategies in order to improve the capacity of event appraisal and problem solving, so that ATCs learn how to cope with emotional effects of stressful events and improve the capacity of control. Air traffic controllers should be trained to develop action-oriented and problem-focused coping abilities. Positive acceptance and reappraisal of stress situations, active coping, seeking to social support for instrumental and emotional reasons must be strengthened, while inclination towards restraint coping, behavioural and mental disengagement should be restricted. Conclusion Air traffic controllers are the working groups having to deal with very stressful and tough job and are widely recognized as an occupational group which has to cope with a highly demanding job that involves a complex series of tasks, requiring high levels of knowledge and expertise, combined with high levels of responsibility. According to this research, it can be seen that most of air traffic controllers rate the level of stress as extreme. Moreover, this level of stress is caused due to several factors such as duration of break that the controllers have, the shift hours they usually worked and the workload. Stress can be due to conflict arising from workplace and private life also. According to survey, 63% of air traffic controllers have conflict arising from workplace and private life. 50% of controllers agreed that stress is caused due to their nature of the job and responsibilities. Air traffic controllers must be trained to have high stress resistance and must be able to take best decision in difficult condition and on behalf of the pilot. Training should be given in order to improve the capacity of event appraisal and problem solving, so that ATCs learn how to cope with emotional effects of stressful events and improve the capacity of control. Moreover, it is important to have a stress management system in place in the work place to help controllers deal with suffering a loss of separation incident or accident. Reference: Professor Glovanni Coasta (1995). Occupational stress and prevention in air traffic control. Institute of Occupational Medicine: University of Verona.

How well does BA protect its employees? Essay

Employees from BA’s prospective are an investment and for BA to get a return on this investment they have to protect it. In this section I am going to evaluate how well BA protects its employees I will use evidence from BA sources to back up each of my points. How does BA protect its employees? Bas takes the safety of its employees very well I know this because in the BA report they say â€Å"The safety and security of our customers and employees in the air and on the ground is a paramount to British Airways and at the heart of our business.† This statement suggests that the safety of BA’s customers is the most important part of their business. it also says that the protection of customers and employees is what the business runs around. BA protects its employees in a number of different ways, for example if an employee is working in an office in front of a computer BA will then make sure that the employee gets regular brakes so that the employees eyes do not get damaged too badly. This is one way that BA protects its employees. BA also protects its employees by reducing the risk of them injuring themselves. They do this by putting up hazard signs that show the employees to be careful. An example of this is wet floor signs these signs show employees that the floor is wet and slippery which instructs them to be more careful. Another way that BA protects its employees is by introducing stress management policies. This is because stress is a major factor that may affect an employee’s health. BA has tried to reduce the amount of stress within the business by introducing a â€Å"stress management policy†. Examples of the policies that BA uses to reduce stress is management training, employee involvement programmes etc†¦ It is one of BA’s top priorities to protect their employees if they don’t then this will mean that the employees will start to get de-motivated and not come to work this will therefore create a decrease in the production of work from the employees as they will not be in most of the times. BA protects its employees very well this can be seen in the graph below which shows the amount of days taken off by employees. In this graph you can see that BA has got quite a low amount of people taking days off related to illnesses at work. This therefore shows us that the employees are happy working at BA. BA also says: â€Å"We have a target of reducing the number of days taken of due to work related injuries by 30 % by 2010† The statement above suggests that BA are working on reducing the amount of work related injuries this shows us that BA are very concerned about the safety of their employees. BA spends 120million pounds on the security of their employees this shows us that they are very concerned about the safety of their employees. We can see that this is paying off as less people are taking days off this is shown in the graph above. The table above shows that BA has reduced the amount of injuries within the business therefore showing that BA’s 120 million pounds security investment has been put to good use. It also shows that BA wants to keep on decreasing the amount of injuries that have happened to employees. In the table above you can also see that the working day’s lost per 100,000 people is 4300 days this is a very low amount therefore showing that BA has protected there employees very well as they are coming into work very regularly. An example of a BA employee getting injured is when a cabin crew employee fell from the doorway of a 737 plane. The employee suffered 3 fractured vertebrae. When BA heard of this they then acted on it and tried to reduce the chances of this occurring again. The table above shows that the amount of injuries to employees inside BA has been reducing constantly for the last three years, but there is stillroom for improvement in the serious injury section where the results show it has risen by an extraordinary amount. How do the trade unions implement national and local working conditions? The trade unions within BA have a very big influence on the decisions made by BA, if BA make a decision that the trade unions do not like then they will cause a strike to occur and give BA a bad reputation. An example of where this occurred was the strike that occurred at Gate Gourmet this was because the trade unions felt that the working conditions where too bad. When this strike occurred it meant that BA had to cancel flights this meant a loss in profit and bad publicity, which caused a downfall for the business. BA would not want to get into situations like this. The trade unions can implement the working conditions by arranging strikes like this. These strikes cause the business to think about keeping the working conditions up and to think about the employees before they take any actions. The trade unions do not have to strike to implement anything, this is because the trade unions can negotiate with the managers of the department and discuss what the working conditions are like. by doing this the trade unions can work with the business to get better working conditions for the employees, this way the managers and the employees are happy without resolving to conflict. Overall the trade unions are a big factor that influences the decisions that the business makes. The main way that they implement the working conditions is by working with the business to tell them the conditions that they want. They may also complain if the conditions that are promised by BA are not met.

Main Challenge in International Staffing

ADRIEN KARCHER EIM4 UB1 International Human Resources Management 2nd Assignment  : Describe the main challenges in International Staffing. Ever since the globalization began, companies became more aware of the competitive environments they operate in. It is obvious that a competitive advantage such as technology, resources and quality can be imitated. It’s the peoples that a company employs that makes the difference. Making the right selection and most efficient use of it will surely provide the advantage needed.In this assignment, we will define in a first part the four main approaches to staffing within International Human Resource Management and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to international management. In a second part we will speak about recruitment and selection of the staff in foreign subsidiaries. Heenan and Perlmutter identified approaches to manage foreign subsidiaries which are, ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric and regiocentric.In this part we will examine the connection between this approaches and staffing practices as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this differents approaches. The first approach is called ethnocentric. Employees from headquarters base it on the occupation of a key position. It is assumed that expatriates can manage subsidiaries more efficiently. This is because expatriates are more informed about the company's goals and objectives, strategies compared to the local managers. This method is used when expanding globally and there is need of good communication, cooperation and control of activities.Consequently, PCNs are assigned to top management positions who implement strategic decisions coming from headquarters. Hence, the selection of expatriates will depend on the technical knowledge required or the type of international expansion a company is planning. The ethnocentric approach provides the parent company with more control, which is vital when expanding to a new country. The refore, expatriates are seen as more able than host country nationals. The polycentric approach will opt for HCNs manager in their subsidiary even if PCNs occupy key positions at orporate headquarters. It’s a multinational approach, there is continuity in management of foreign subsidiaries, language barriers can be eliminated and for MNEs still less expensive to hire locals than expatriates. All this elements represent advantages of this approach. But, there are disadvantages for firms and local employees, which have restricted career opportunity outside the subsidiary. With the geocentric approach, MNEs try to find the best people for key positions regardless of nationality. The mix of PCNs, TCNs and HCNs maintains the international team.That’s why HR department play an important role in the international staffing however taking into account staff availability, time and cost constraints, host government requirements and ineffective HRM policies. It’s a Global a pproach in which one each part makes a unique contribution with its unique competence. So now, let see the regiocentric approach which is similar than the geocentric approach but much more nationally focused, the staff may move outside their countries but within the particular geographic region.It’s on the way between ethnocentric or polycentric approach to a geocentric approach. Challenges for MNEs are to work with all of these different characteristics and find the most appropriate approach according to their policy. They have to take in consideration, the context specificities, the company specificities and the local unit specificities as well as IHRM practices. All these factors affect staffing choices, which represent a real challenge in international staffing.Recruitment and selection of staff for international assignments is a considerable challenge because it’s an important and crucial factor of the international expansion for MNEs. They need to find the right people to make position and particularly key managers. In fact, a selection error can lead to an expatriate contract failure and correspond to a return to home before the period of assignment is completed, then it could have long-term negative consequences in term of subsidiary performance.Several factors have to be taken into account in the failure of international assignment: the inability for expatriates to adjust to the foreign culture, the family concerns, career concerns, security concerns, the length of assignment etc. They represent a critical IHRM issues in international staffing, so the challenge is to find the right people which are consistent with all the factors of expatriate selection.Selection criteria are family requirements, technical ability, the cultural requirements, the language and the MNEs requirements. Mendenhall and Ouddou have proposed a four-dimensional approach that attempts to link specific behavioural tendencies to overseas performance. We see these day s appear another constraint for companies : the dual-career couples who are now considered as a barrier to staff mobility and it’s why the MNEs techniques are now utilized to surmount this constraint.To conclude, and according all the facts defined in this assignment, Recruitment and selection of staff still criticals because the future employees have to gather the maximum of criteria which correspond to the MNEs standards and expectations particularly in international assignments. The International staffing is a complex process in which many criteria have to be taken into consideration in order to achieve the best international assignments in the way to insure a sustaining international business operations for MNEs.