HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (YEAR 3) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (YEAR 3) - Essay Example Power is a force or a store of political influence through which events can be affected. Politics involves activities or behaviors through which power is developed and used in organizational settings. Political behavior is initiated to overcome opposition. If there is no opposition, political activity is not necessary. Bases of power may be divided logically: personal power is derived from personal attributes and expertise while position power is derived from official position. There are many ways to describe the uses of power. Organizations are made up of individuals who are grouped into coalitions of interests. Coalitions form to protect and improve their vested interests. Often they are formed along departmental lines, but not always. This refers to the political interests in the organization. The different subunits in an organization are not neutral. Each group has a distinct set of interests which is frequently at odds with other groups. The groups compete for favourable allocation of resources. The structure of an organization is a crucial determinant of the flow of the distribution of resources, therefore built into the organization is a structure of advantage and disadvantage. It is in the interests of a group to have resources distributed in its favour. So interests refer to the relationship between an individual or group and the distribution of organizational resources. Interests are concerned with securing a fair share of organizational resources, and are expressed through a motivation to enhance or defend a particular distribution of organizational resources. Organizations differ in the distribution of power. In some power is focused and concentrated within a narrowly drawn coalition, in others power is relatively dispersed between multiplicities of groups. There is a difference between power and authority which has to be made

Utilitarian View on Modern Day Situations Essay Example for Free

Utilitarian View on Modern Day Situations Essay Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is the traditional understanding that the right act is the act which will actually, or most probably produce the greatest amount of happiness or pleasure throughout the world. The view was most famously founded by Jeremy Bentham, and later adapted by John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of an event rather than following strict rules and in general can be classed as a type of naturalism that offers a reductionist approach to ethics. Natural Law Natural Law is the theory that all humans can discover what is right, due to moral being written into our nature in some way. This theory suggests that there are some absolute ethical standards are the set by the way the universe is and the way humans are. Natural law lies a great deal of importance on applying reason and science and the use of inherent values such as fairness. Situation Ethics Situation ethics are based on the principle of love, and how all right and good actions result in the greatest amount of love as a result. Due to this, human beings should always act lovingly but the values of acting lovingly largely depend on the situation and cannot be predefined, instead the values of situation ethics are free to change in any shape or form from example as they relate the circumstances. Proportionalism Proportionalism is neither deontological or teleological, but rather it lies somewhere in between the two. It is an extension of Natural law, that can be easily compared with rule utilitarianism. It has moral rules (generally of the Christian variety) and says that it is never right to go against a principle unless there is a proportionate reason which would justify it. So some things are always right or wrong, but in certain situations it could be tolerated, e. g. murder is always wrong, but there may be an exception in a just war. Toleration is not saying something is right or wrong, but rather is used to choose the lesser of two evils. Virtue Ethics Virtue Ethics describe the right action to be the action which a virtuous person would do in the same situation, and for this reason, Virtue Ethics are not absolute, they are relativist. Instead of looking at the consequences of a particular action Virtue Ethics looks at the character of the individual and as a result provides us with guidance of what are the ideal characteristics of a good person. Utilitarianism Perspective In Vitro Treatment Even though IVF has been criticized because many people think that it is an unethical method of creating a child, utilitarians have said that it can bring about the greatest good for the greatest number of people, yet some people do not see how. Bentham’s hedonic calculus enables us to find out whether or not IVF will bring about this about. When Bentham came up with the idea of the hedonic calculus he asked seven questions that all try to predict. Regarding the length of the effects of IVF treatment, the answer to is that the effects will last a life time. When creating a child you don’t expect the effects to last for a short period of time, you want them to last for the rest of your life and the rest of the child’s life. For example the first test tube baby, Louise Brown, is now actually a mother herself. Furthmore, there is also the case of whether the embryo will attached to the inside of the mother womb and investigations have shown that there is a one in five chance that this will happen, even though this may seem a high risk factor there is a twenty per cent chance of at least one of the eggs taking if ten are fertilised. As a result of this IVF treatment, both the mother and the father will be greatly effected in the majority, because they will have to donate their zygotes and then have them fertilised. Afterwards the woman will have to have the eggs implanted into her womb and even then the embryos may not take. There is also the financial side to this treatment, it costs a lot of money and even then the embryos might not take to the woman’s womb therefore it would just be like burning money because it is, in a sense, money wasted. The doctors will be affected because what they are doing is hard work, but they will be affected in a good way because they are getting paid a lot of money for this. There is no saying how many lives the child will affect in the future. That maybe is one of the drawbacks of IVF treatment, the child might grow up to be hooked on drugs or be a rapists or serial killer but then don’t you take that risk with any child? Then the weakness is in Bentham’s hedonic calculus i. e. it is not possible by any means to predict the future yet we still try to through means like this. The IVF treatment could also take as long as you want it. Then there would of course be there is the process of waiting for the baby to be born if the IVF is successful but it could be born late or early, so again we cannot predict the future because of the fact that it is too uncertain. The final and question is whether the act of IVF treatment will cause happiness or un-happiness in the future, and my answer to this is that the future is so uncertain it is almost impossible to predict what is going to happen. From the evidence above it is clear that a utilitarian wouldn’t support IVF treatment, because it isn’t certain whether or not this treatment would avoid pain and create the most amount of happiness, because the IVF treatment might not be successful and then there is a lot of money wasted on embryos that didn’t work. There might be a lot of future un-happiness more so than future happiness. Then there is the factor that the IVF treatment takes a long time and might not last a long time because the baby may miss-carry. This is definitely one of the drawbacks to utilitarianism, because the future is so uncertain it is not possible to predict whether or not this baby will become something that will go onto help others and create happiness or be something that ruins peoples lives and ruins their own lives. Natural Law Perspective In Vitro Treatment The underlying principal of natural law is that as God has created us then we should let nature take its course. In doing this, we are therefore allowing the will of God to be performed. If you take this stance then clearly you would be against any form of fertility treatment. This type of treatment is seen as interfering with nature and therefore offends the principles of Natural Law. If a woman cannot conceive then it is natures way of saying that she should not have children we should not interfere with that decision is the view of the proponents of natural law. They would also be against genetic engineering and designer babies. Utilitarianism Perspective Voluntary Euthanasia The definition of the word Euthanasia is A good and peaceful death. Utilitarianism is a moral theory which stresses that the goal of moral endeavour ( or to put it another way, the measure) is the production of Good. any action is to be assessed by their production of good consequences. If the definition of Euthanasia is applied then as it is supposed to bring about good in the form of a peaceful death then utilitarianism can be brought into play because the result is good the action must be morally correct. Natural Law Perspective Voluntary Euthanasia Natural law holds that human beings by nature do good and avoid evil and these goods are observable goals that we are fundamentally born with in our nature. Natural Law deals in moral absolutes that cannot be broken regardless of the situation, The end never justifies the means, so no amount of suffering can justify an evil act. To aspect of protecting the innocent is seen to be very important by those that follow Natural Law, therefore it would seem that euthanasia is always wrong. However, the principle of the double effect must not be disregarded. As whilst it is seen as wrong to kill, is giving someone pain relief if a secondary effect is that they die wrong? In this situation, you are asking Is death a proportionate outcome? For this reason, while Natural Law doesnt support active euthanasia, I believe that in some cases it might well allow an action whose intention is merely to relieve pain, even if the action leads to death. The Implications of Benthams Theory on Animal Treatment In my opinion Jeremy Bentham would claim that the morally relevant question about animals is not Can they reason? or Can they talk? but, Can they suffer ? And, animals do in fact suffer, and do in fact feel pain. Therefore he would argue that pain is an intrinsic evil whether it is experienced by a child, an adult, or an animal. If it is wrong to inflict pain on a human being, it is just as wrong to inflict pain on an animal. For this reason, animals should be treated with the same amount of respect as human beings are treated as it has yet to be proven, it will likely will never be proven, that animals do not suffer. Why punish criminals? Utilitarian Perspective According to utilitarianism our duty is to do whatever will increase the amount of happiness in the world. Utilitarians view punishment as treating people badly, by taking away their life or freedom through capital punishment and imprisonment. In Bentham’s own words, he wrote, â€Å"all punishment is mischief: all punishment in itself is evil. † So what do Utilitarians think about capital punishment? At first it may seem obvious that they oppose it, because by punishing someone, this person will suffer thus will be unhappy. Because punishment is a means of producing suffering, nd suffering is bad, punishment can only be justified on utilitarian grounds if the amount of suffering is outweighed by benefits to society and that good cannot be produced in any other way that does not involve suffering. In other words, if punishment will bring about more good than bad for society, and that good cannot be produced in any other more advantageous way, then it can be justified on utilitarian grounds. Here are many ways where punishment can benefit society: First, capital punishment can help to reduce crimes by being a deterrent to would-be criminals. Someone who is tempted to commit a crime might not commit the crime now that he knows that he would be punished, thus introducing the threat of punishment. Second by making people who have already committed crimes incapable of committing future crimes. By executing criminals, they will be taken off the streets, they will be removed from this life, and further crimes that they were going to commit will be avoided. In this way there will be less unhappiness. Third, the act of capital punishment may in some case provide comfort and gratification for the victim’s family. The victim’s family may be comforted if they knew that the killer has received what he deserves. In conclusion, a utilitarian would advocate the death penalty only if it is the only way of generating benefits to the society which are greater than any harms, or evil which its use may cause. A society might be happier to know that a murderer can never kill again, and it may in fact make the murderer himself happier with his life ending immediately rather than spending his whole life imprisoned. How does Mills approach to justifying any majority inflicting pain on the minority address the difficulty of Benthams hedonic calculus? Mills approach to pleasure wasnt simply based on quantity, he instead described there to be two levels of pleasures, higher and lower. The higher pleasures were intellectual pleasures, whilst the mower pleasures were purely sensual. Mill also stated that most ordinary people should generally follow the traditional moral rules rather than calculate every situation. This is the reason why some people state that then surely John Stuart Mill is a Rule Utilitarian, who should generally following moral rules, even if the rules are decided through Utilitarianism. How does Rule Utilitarianism prevent the justification of executing any minority, as issued by the majority? Rule Utilitarianism ensures that the traditional moral rules should be followed, therefore whilst rules are in place, these rules may be decided by Utilitarianism. This will prevent extreme cases from taking place and general rules in society being overturned by the majority.

Succession Planning for SMEs in IT Industry

Succession Planning for SMEs in IT Industry Purpose This thesis is based on an investigation into succession planning in small to medium-size organisations within the Information Technology (IT) industry. The main area of research is centred on whether these organisations develop employees sufficiently to move into pivotal roles or whether they must continue to rely on external recruitment for senior positions. An additional question raised by the report is whether operating within the IT industry brings its own peculiarities. Methodology A survey, by means of postal questionnaire, was chosen as the means of collection of primary data. This questionnaire was distributed to human resource managers and officers operating within the IT industry. In addition to this data collection, use was made also of secondary archive survey data. Findings The findings of this report quite clearly show that, despite statements to the contrary, true succession planning exists in very few organisations. Succession planning theory and best practice are ignored to the extent that real top level commitment is hard to find and very little HR participation exists other than at operational level. Findings show that little has changed over the years in that whatever succession planning exists in organisations, it remain in the authority of senior management, operated by and for them. There is little evidence to show that this has been widened to include more junior levels within organisations. Notwithstanding the fact that succession planning exists within the senior ranks, there is little evidence to show that it actually works. External recruitment continues to be the norm and retention rates of senior personnel do not show any real benefit. The specific problems of lack of opportunity and resource, faced by small to medium-sized organisations, are exacerbated within the IT industry, which brings its own issues of employee high expectation and impatience. Introduction Succession Planning What is it? Definition: Succession planning is making sure that the organisation develops and keeps the right people for key jobs. .. More successfully, it defines the competencies needed for the future and develops them in everyone who has the capability. This provides a pool of talent from which successors to important jobs can be drawn. The Industrial Society (April 1997)[1] Staff turnover dictates that all organisations have a need to fill employee vacancies; key roles not excluded. Forward-looking organisations look beyond a basic recruitment process and understand the value of a system that identifies high potential in current employees, as well as recognising leadership gaps in the organisation. Having acknowledged these requirements, good organisations put in place a development structure that seeks to answer these needs. This complete process is known as Succession Planning. Of course, where such a process is part and parcel of everyday life in an organisation, most likely it is not restricted to the hierarchy of the company. An expected consequence of this situation is a culture of ongoing development of employees from top to bottom, leading to a continuous process of succession planning throughout the organisation. Succession Planning Why is it important? The brief that good leadership has a direct affect on organisational performance lies at the heart of the move towards succession planning. We live today in a fast-moving, high pressured, competitive society, where the slightest advantage may give a company a valuable aggressive edge. If a company is to grow and expand into new areas and markets, it is important that the organisation is built on a strong foundation. The best and strongest foundation for an organisation is a pool of capable, talented individuals, who have grown with the organisation; absorbing its knowledge and its culture, ready to move up through the company into pivotal leadership roles. Organisations that do not provide this home grown talent, and possibly lose valuable knowledge and expertise along the way, may have to seek replacements from outside; with this course of action runs the risk of recruiting the wrong person. This latter occurrence could be a disaster, particularly when a wrong choice is made at a senior level. This situation could lead to serious disruption in an organisation and, depending on the importance of the employee concerned, the result could be terminal decline. Research Aim Succession planning is seen as a crucial process by most major employing organisations (Hirsch 2000, p.ix)[2] The aim of this research is to establish whether, despite the perceived benefits of succession planning, most small to medium-sized organisations fail to nurture sufficient home-grown talent and have to look outside their own organisations to fill key senior positions. An alternative, but equally worrying situation is the appointment of individuals on the basis of class, length of service, family history, etc., without the developmental support. This situation certainly exists within the authors organisation at the present time. There is little, if any, work being done among the senior management team to develop the leadership skills of the successors to the principal roles; although it does appear that in the case of the primary position, the choice has been made! More importantly, this situation continues down throughout the organisation and, in many departments, it is difficult to see which individuals would have the qualities necessary to be able to stem into senior roles if the need arose. This state of affairs creates serious concerns for the direction and future of the organisation. All this exists in an organisation, which claims that a culture of development exists and, if questioned superficially, would be of the opinion that succession planning occurred. Strategy The research method chosen was data collection by means of postal questionnaires to be sent out to the HR Officers / Managers in small to medium-sized high tech companies / organisations in the UK and India private sector. Where necessary, the postal questionnaires are to be followed up with telephone reminders and completed via telephone calls or emails. Outline Structure Literature Review History of Succession Planning Historically, succession planning systems were the sole province of the upper echelons of male, class-dominated society. Whether or not this served society well is an arguable point; the fact that it existed in a class-ridden paternalistic age is not up for debate. The traditional model of succession planning, as identified in The Industrial Society (1997), is for the Board of identify, secretly, a list of two or three potential successors for the senior roles. According to Holbech, no more than two or three per cent of the workforce were deemed to have management or executive potential (Holbech, 2003)[3]. There are considerable, well-documented, drawbacks associated with this process for example, management may continue to choose clones of themselves, perpetuating a culture with a reluctance to change. Without fresh blood, bringing new ideas, organisations may begin to stagnate. The disadvantages brought about by this traditional model may be distilled down to two arguments; the organisation risks losing exceptional talent (with the associated consequences) and employees miss out on development and fail to fulfil their potential. Chris Watkin of Hay Group maintains that the roots of talent management can be found in the outsourcing of the pervious decade. (Carrington 2004)[4] The reduction of graduate recruitment schemes in the early 1990s meant organisations often did not have the right employees in place to move into the senior positions. This situation was fine for a while but, long-term, it proved to be very expensive and not to successful. (2004, p.26) Watkin also says that the recruitment slow-down that had occurred over the past couple of years has highlighted further the need for organisations to make more of their current employee talent. (ibid p.26) Certainly, within the authors industry (IT), the lack of available talent during this period has been a serious (and costly) concern. Definitely, it is cheaper to develop current employees than to buy-in expensive candidates with great potential but little knowledge of the Companys products and specific technologies. The CIPD (2004, p.1)[5] support this view by suggesting that maybe it was better to develop loyal employees who understood the organisation and its culture. According to Rothwell (2001, p.5)[6], one of the first writers to appreciate the need to plan was Henri Fayol (1916), whose fourteen points of management indicate that management has a responsibility to ensure the stability of tenure of personnel. Fayol also said that if the need were ignored, key positions would end up being filled by ill prepared people. The world is now a much different place than in Fayols time but the basic tenets of his thinking remain. According to the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC)[7], from 2000 to 2002, many organisations struggled in the difficult economic climate. Despite this, a number of companies continued to excel, sometimes surpassing their earnings expectations. The CLC believe that the reason for this was the quality of their senior executives; they were successful in creating a steady supply of talent at a time when others were failing to keep up. The CLC go on to say that this differentiation may hold the key to organisational success. (2004)[8] The situation prevailing within corporate management today, not surprisingly, puts Board management succession in the limelight. According to Carey and Ogden in Berger Berger, directors, as guardians of the interests of shareholders, naturally are concerned with the ongoing health and success of the corporate enterprise. Capable leadership is vital to this objective, which means that succession must be considered first and foremost and fundamentally a responsibility of the board. (2004 p.243) Despite this, the CLC found that only 20% of responding HR executives were satisfied with their top-management succession processes. Ram Charan thinks that this is simply inexcusable and goes on to say that a board that has been in place for six or seven years but does not have a pool of qualified candidates and a robust succession process is a failure. (2005, p.74)[9] Build Talent throughout the Organisation If an organisation is to be in a position to provide a continuous pool of talented employees from which the leaders of tomorrow must be chosen, it is important that the succession management process is not restricted to the senior level. There is a need to identify and coach potential throughout the organisation. Sisson and Storey thinks that training and development were the building blocks of a learning organisation and, according to many, the real key to developing competitive advantage. (2000, p.147)[10] According to Carey and Ogden, the familiar view of succession is around changing leadership at the top, one CEO[11] moves out of the corner office and other moves in. In reality, this is only a fraction of the whole organisational development picture. The most vital features of the leadership-development process take place beneath the top level, often not visible to people outside the organisation. (ibid, p.247) Obviously, a long-term goal of an organisation may be to extend the succession planning/ management process down through the organisational layers. Hirsch talk about devolved succession planning where local or functional managers are pro-active with regard to the development of successors for roles within their control. This may be extended in a more deliberate way with a result that although the corporate centre considers only the top levels, the bulk of the organisation follows suit. (2000, p.12)[12] A former Vice-President at General Electric commented, The act of creating a mentality of development within a company makes for more effective operations, even before the change takes place. People function better in a developmental mode. (ibid, p.248) Conger and Fulmer were of the opinion that succession planning and leadership development ought to be two sides of the same coin. They went on to ask that, if this were the case, why do many companies handle them as if they were completely separate issue? (2003, p.76)[13] Identifying possible successors, without the structured leadership development in place may lead to failure for the selected candidate and disaster for the organisation. More and more organisations, including very successful High Street retailers such as Tesco and Asda in UK and Pantaloon, K Raheja Group in India have a policy of promoting from within. According to Zneimer in Human Resources Magazine, Asda grooms its brightest talent for the time when they will step into the shoes of those currently sitting on the board or in the management tier just below. They are encouraged to enter a development programme that taps into the skills of external coaches and internal mentors. This ethos is encapsulated in Asdas Accelerated International Management (AIM) initiative, whereby those deemed to be ready are given top jobs abroad. (2004, p.34)[14] Surely, it cannot be an accident that successful companies have home-grown CEOs:- Tesco Sir Terry Leahy 25 years GlaxoSmithKline J P Carnier 14 years AstraZeneca Sir Tom McKillop 34 years BP Lord Browne 38 years Pantaloon India Kishore Biyani 22 years Source: Management Today, December 2003 (updated) in Zneimer (2004, p.37)[15] As Zneimer points out, the succession policies of Asda and Tesco contrast greatly with that of Marks Spencer, which has gone awry in recent years. Instead of continuing to grow their own, they have been spending a fortune on a revolving door CEO succession policy, which has resulted in a couple of very high profile failures. (2004, p.34)[16] This difference in fortunes highlights very well the benefits of a good succession management process. Ram Charan points out in the Harvard Business Review that, in Europe, 70% of outside CEOs, who departed in 2003 were forced to resign by their boards, as compared to 55% of insiders. In the US, these figures were 55% and 34%, respectively. (2005, p.74)[17] Management Commitments All of the theory and best practice covered in this report will come to nought if management commitment is not secured and followed through. Rothwell makes the point that a programme will be effective only when it has the support of its stakeholders; they must perform as well and own the process. (2001, p.116)[18] Lucy McGee quoted in People Management, the European head of HR at Matsushita observed, Without support from the CEO, you might as well not bother. (2004, p.49)[19] The DDI Study, Succession Management Practices, found that effective succession management systems are more likely to be found in organisations which, among other things, involve the CEO; have the support of senior management and involve line management in identifying candidates. The McKinsey study of the war for talent in corporate America, cited by Hirsch in Succession Planning Demystified, contends that with talent comes business success: You can win the war for talent but first you must elevate talent management to a burning corporate priority. According to a survey conducted by Consultancy Fairplace, as cited in Human Resources Magazine, talent management is not getting the funding it needs. In Human Resources Magazines opinion, this suggests a lack of commitment to talent management. (2004)[20] It is recognised that not all organisations, particularly those in the sector forming the target of this report, are able to fund succession management programmes along the lines of those underway at companies such as Asda and Tesco. Succession management, however, really need not cost a great deal of money. In fact, lack of support for this issue is not generally based on lack of budget but more a function of time. Without priority given to this issue, management keeps its focus on customer demands and is too busy reacting to business crises to give the necessary attention to the succession management process. A great deal of management fails to realise that by always focusing on the urgent (not on the important) instead of delegating, they are missing out on an important development process. Of course, there are numerous ways that a succession planning process may be set up and it is not necessary to include such expensive techniques as external executive coaching. Indeed, small to medium-sized companies may still manage to instil a culture of development without recourse to such methods. Combating The Lack of Support: Obtaining management commitment to a succession management programme will not come easily or quickly. HR professionals must be prepared to give time and effort to the task if they are to be successful. In order to succeed, it is important to demonstrate a need and develop a business case for succession management. Rothwell believes that a succession management programme will be successful only when it has the support of its stakeholders; indeed, in order for it to work they must own the process. (2001, p.116)[21] According to the Corporate Leadership Council, there are increased internal and external business trends, which are forcing companies to focus attention on succession management. Fig. 1 outlines current business trends that may be used to make a case for a succession management process. Where top management support is difficult to obtain, Rothwell suggests that the best strategy is to win over idea champions to support the cause. Ideally, such champions come from well-respected top managers who, possibly, have experienced work-related problems as a result of the lack of a successor to a critical role. (ibid, p.69) The Role of Human Resources If HR really is to contribute at a strategic level and take its place at the top table, it must rise to the challenge. Lance Richards, writing in Personnel Today, suggests this is the challenge of delivering the right people in the right place at the right time and at the right cost and goes on to say that HRs ability to do this could be the key to future organisational success. (2004, p.15)[22] Certainly, much has been written on the contribution that HR is able to make to business. Lucy McGee believes that HR must educate its organisations leaders to understand that business plans for growth and change simply dont stand up without a serious commitment of their time and energy to developing people. (2004, p.48)[23] The overwhelming considered opinion about the role of HR seems to be as a champion of the process, guiding rather than taking ownership. This view is in accord with the CIPD, which feels that, although succession planning needs to be owned by managers, led by the CEO, HR has a critical role in supporting and facilitating the process. (2004, p.5)[24] Conger and Fulmer are of the opinion that, although in most companies, HR is the primary owner of the succession planning and leadership development process, this is a mistake. They believe that, in order to be successful, these processes need multiple owners. It is only by active commitment from the top and not just gratuitous support which managers will sense this is a fundamental activity, which must be taken seriously. (2003, p.83)[25] Conger and fulmar also says that it is not realistic or desirable for the CEO and their executive teams to have sole responsibility. HR needs to be involved in order to bring with it the necessary time and expertise. (ibid, p.83) Certainly, Hirsch found that, although the general role of HR could be described as facilitator, the term really did not do justice to the range of activities carried out. Hirsch also says that a project conducted by the Careers Research Forum qualified facilitator in this context as shown in figure 2. HR as Facilitator Process designer: Advising on how information should be collected and collated. Framing agendas and questions. Process Manager / Facilitator: Direct personal involvement in making sure meetings happen and, on occasion, acting as referee in ensuring the discussion is wide-ranging and objective. Good and conscience: Looking further to the future; asking seriously difficult; questions; highlighting problems that executives may prefer not to see. Direct personal intervention as broker: Knowing people well enough to be able to suggest successors, candidates for vacancies; development opportunities for individuals and influencing executives to take these suggestions on board. Counsellor: Trusted to help executives talk through their issues and to help individuals work out their career directions. Information support: Maintaining quality information, which delivers a direct service when internal candidate search is required or more general questions are asked. Despite this general agreement concerning the important role of HR within the succession management process, the CMI survey found that it is rare for HR directors to have board-level influence. At the end of 2004, only 11 companies in the FTSE 100 had HR directors on their Boards. (CMI, 2005) A large number of organisations are looking now to management tools, some web-based, to assist in their succession management programmes and there is a plethora of talent management software systems on the market. Lance Richards argues, however, that we should pay no heed to the software salesman who offers elaborate, expensive packages they are nice but not required. HR should start the succession planning process, if only in a simple paper and pencil format sometimes, the first step is both the simplest and the hardest to make. Richards advice is not to dumb-down succession planning but to show that it can be done simply and without spending the GDP of Denmark in the process. (2004, p.15)[26] Succession Management Process So, where does all this opinion and theory brings us? Almost without exception, good practice points towards a formal succession planning process, at the heart of which lies leadership / employee development. According to Hirsch, succession planning sits inside a much wider set of resourcing and development processes, called succession management. Succession management encompasses links to business strategy, resourcing supply and demand, skills analysis, hiring processes and management development (including graduate and high-flyer programmes). (2000 p.ix)[27] Michael Liebeman in Rothwell supports this view; he feels that succession planning should not stand alone but should be paired with succession management, which assumes a more dynamic business environment. (2001, p.31)[28] For this view of succession management to be truly successful, it is vital that it be engrained in the culture of the organisation and functioning at all levels. Conger and Fulmer see this as a file-rule process, with the four subordinate rules resting on the fundamental rule of development. They believed that succession planning and leadership development are natural allies that share a fundament goal of getting the right skills in the right place. (2003, p79)[29] Implementing the Process Having secured management commitment, arguably the most difficult task of all, the next step is to implement the process. Identification When looking at a succession planning / management system for the first time, it is vital to establish the positions that the organisation wishes to include in the process. The selection of individuals may be linked to particular key posts or identified as having high potential. Conger and Fulmer suggested that by merging succession planning and leadership development into a single system, companies are able to take a long-term view of the process of preparing middle managers, even those below the director level, to become general managers. They suggested that these systems should focus on linchpin positions-roles that are essential to the long-term health of the organisation. (ibid, p79) Whatever the criteria, it is important that the process is tied in to business strategy and the risk posed by the loss of an incumbent is considered when reaching a decision. Composition of Team It is imperative that the composition of the succession planning / management team is such that sufficient weight is attached to the process to ensure its success. In addition to regular team members, most likely the CEO / MD, senior executives / managers and, preferably, HR, it may be a good idea from time to time to second interested parties. Not only will this provide valuable input into selection of candidates but also secure the assist in spreading commitment to the process throughout the organisation. Top level / company commitment and HR involvement are explored in more details in other areas of this report. Measure for Success Once the succession planning / management strategy is in place, it is important that the organisation puts measures in place in order to ensure that the system is operating efficiently and also to highlight any opportunities for improvement. Conger and Fulmer found that succession management systems were effective only when they reacted to changing requirements. They went on to say that none of the best-practice companies in their study expected that their succession management system would be able operate without modification for more than a year. (2003, p.84)[30] An additional important reason for monitoring the system is to demonstrate any success and, thereby, provide information to sustain management commitment. Retention Once an organisation has found its high performers and leaders of the future, it is important to retain these employees and to ensure not only that their aspirations are fulfilled but also that their talents are used to the best advantage of the organisation. Remember that just as organisations are interested in high performers, high performers are keen to be associated with organisations with a strong reputation. In the field of IT in particular, this reputation extends to cutting-edge technology and product development. Organisations need to hold the interest of these individuals if they are not to be lost to more attractive competitors. In addition to the attraction of personal development, one issue of major importance is the subject of recognition / reward and organisations need to give significant consideration to rewarding high performers. It may be necessary to look at alternative / additional methods of compensation, for example, stock options; performance-related bonus schemes; financial support for professional development. What is important is that high performers feel recognised and rewarded in relation to their perceived worth and at levels that are viewed as competitive in the marketplace. According to Susanna Mitterer of TMI, writing in People Management, Pay attention to how your incentive and bonus schemes are designed, making sure all means of reward are fair, consistent and transparent. (2004)[31] Time has moved on but the expectancy theory of Victor Vroom and notions of fairness expounded by Jacques and Adams still ring true today. Turnover Although it may be argued that some turnover is acceptable, even desirable, quite clearly excessive turnover is to be avoided. The cost to the organisation may be seen on many fronts and, in many cases, may not be recognised or considered. In addition to the oft-championed areas of recruitment, training, temporary / contractors costs, there are issues such as lost productivity, customer dissatisfaction and management time, as well as the very important area of loss of skills and knowledge, both explicit and tacit. This final issue, which is of particular significance in this report, is of vital importance to technology organisations, operating as they do in such a knowledge-rich environment. There are many reasons for voluntary turnover in an organisation and according to the CIPD survey, lack of development or career opportunities accounted for 37% of voluntary terminations in the UK. Additionally, 41% highlighted increased learning and development opportunities as a step taken specifically to address staff retention. Make it transparent It is important that the whole process is as transparent as possible. Conger and Fulmer were of the opinion that, although this was a sensitive issue to manage, it was the right view to take. They believed that, if employees knew what was expected of them to reach a particular level, they would be able to take the necessary action. Not making the process transparent and the criteria for inclusion absolutely clear, leads to misunderstandings, feelings of inequality and discontent. Lucy McGee, writing in People Management, believes that there is a genuine urgency at the moment for succession planning and that every manager must become a talent agent spotting, nurturing and lobbying for people with leadership potential and offers her 12-point guide. (2004, pp.48-49)[32] The Small / Medium-Size Business Viewpoint Although, as mentioned previously in this report, the smaller organisations often cannot afford to implement such practices as, for example, executive coaching, the basic principles of succession management remain open to all. Having said this, there are certain restrictions facing the smaller organisations. In addition to the likely limitations on cost, there are the obvious limited developmental opportunities, which could lead to possible difficulties in retention of able and ambitious employees. A consequence of this is the reduced pool of talent from which potential leaders may be drawn. The smaller organisation may also find its senior staff stretched in many different directions, which could lead to difficulty in obtaining commitment to the issue of succession management. Obtaining this commitment, and finding ways to mitigate the particular problems highlighted above, is a role to be embraced by HR. According to the Corporate Leadership Council, there are a number of imperatives and practices that the smaller organisation may consider to improve the situation, as shown in Figure 3. Although, quite clearly, these actions are to be advised in all situations, with regard to small organisations they become all the more relevant. The IT Viewpoint The IT industry in general is a very young, fast-moving and dynamic industry. A low average age, coupled with technical expertise, brings with it developmental and career aspirations that need to be satisfied and will wait for no man. It is important that Companies recognise this and form policies accordingly, in order that they are able to sustain the requirements for technical and career advancement. For this reason, a culture of ongoing development, whilst important and extremely desirable in all industries, takes on a more critical role in high technology organisations. It may be that the particular problems facing the smaller company are exacerbated when the company affected sits within the IT sector. Additionally, it could be argued that turnover rate within the IT industry takes on a slightly different hue. Turnover

Multidisiplinary approaches in ergonomics :: essays research papers

In the redesign of an assembly or packing line a multidisciplinary team of medical and technical representatives work collectively to identify, evaluate, and control risks to employees whilst maintaining productivity for the company concerned. Those who contribute to the redesigning of industrial equipment, such as assembly or packing lines, include professionals with a variety of expertise, including the occupational health nurse, occupational therapist, occupational hygienist, physiotherapist, ergonomist, human resource staff, and the design engineers. The role of each representative from the seven groups will often overlap, the objective for all however is to identify health hazards in the workplace and eliminate them, protecting workers from the primary sources of health risks whilst designing proficient equipment that makes the best of the workers potential without exceeding their physical and psychological capacity. The role of the occupational health nurse is to provide nursing care in the work environment to employees and others with injury and illness. The nurse gives emergency care, prepares accident reports, and arranges further treatment or care if required. They also assess work environments for potential or actual health problems. Their contribution to redesigning an assembly or packing line would be in the form of supplying valuable data from incident and accident reports that identifies hazards relating to the existing equipment (Lloyd, 2002; Quinlan & Bohle, 1991; Sanders & McCormick, 1993). Responsible for preventative modification of the working environment has generally been assigned to occupational hygienists, engineers, and ergonomists. Occupational hygiene is an environmental science concerned with physical, chemical, and biologic hazards to the worker. The occupational hygienists recognize that safe and healthy working conditions enhance the quality of life for the people involved and contribute to productivity. Broken into three phases, identification, evaluation, and control, the occupational hygienist collects information from a variety of sources by breaking the overall work area into component processes, identifying hazards associated with each process. They will then evaluate each identified hazard by assessing the level of risk involved. With hazards identified and the risks evaluated a control strategy is designed to minimise exposure to acceptable levels. Engineering control strategies aim to prevent illness and disease by the modification of tools, equip ment and processes (Lloyd, 2002; Sanders & McCormick, 1993; Quinlan & Bohle, 1991). Similarly, ergonomics is an expert technical approach. The scientific study of the physical relationship between people, the equipment they use and the environment they work in. Their role is to optimise the relationship between worker and equipment by modifying the working environment (Quinlan & Bohle, 1991).

Electoral College :: essays research papers

The framer's intent of setting up the American Government will never be know for sure, but it is gathered that they preferred a republic over a democracy. In the constitutional convention the drafters had to decide how much power they would entrust with the people of the United States, and how much should be controlled by representatives. They chose to have Congress Make the laws, and congress would be selected directly by the people. But another branch of government, the executive branch, needed a sole president and the framers had to decide how to choose this president. They chose from three main systems: elect the president by congress, the people, or electors. The electoral college system has been in place for over 200 years and Americans are still not sure how it works or if it is the best system. Many Americans feel they go to the polls every year and vote for the president, and in the long run they are in control of the fate of our executive branch. This third system was to have electors that could not be a member of congress vote for the president. The elector system was voted down twice, once as the electors to be chosen by state legislatures, and the other time as the electors to be chosen by direct vote. Finally it was passed under the system of letting state legislature decide how to choose the electors. Another compromise had to be made about how many electors each state would have. This was agreed upon by the electors equaling the total of the states representatives and senators. States went three main routes in choosing electors: the legislative system, where state legislatures choose the electors; a district system, where electors are selected by the people of each congressional district; and the general ticket, or a winner-take-all system, where a popular vote was held in the entire state, and the winner took all electoral votes. Many have tried to reform by making a more uniform system state by state, but the constitution is very clear that it is each state's own decision of how to choose electors. The legislative system eventually failed because of too much bargaining, promises, and payoffs. The district system eventually lost popularity because it encourages third parties. This left the general ticket system as the dominating system. However, the framers originally intended electors to be chosen by the people and then vote for what they thought was best. There are two states that still use the district system, but the remaining 48 states use the general ticket system. Most all states no longer show the electors' names on the ballot.

The World Needs International Accounting Standards Essay -- Accounting

Financial reporting has a responsibility to communicate the economic condition and functioning of an enterprise. This has to be accurate, reliable and comply by the accounting standards. Effective financial reporting is essential in maintaining confidence in an economy and encouraging investors to invest. Towards the end of 2008, the financial sector across the world was becoming increasingly unstable. Lehman Brothers had been declared bankrupt, Various allegations towards accounting standards have been made in relation to the financial crisis. A lot of banks worldwide valued most of their financial assets at historic cost, the cost at which the assets were initially bought at. These figures were not adjusted to the current market values, and therefore were over estimated on the financial accounts. The ‘incurred loss model,’ was also heavily criticised. This model required only those losses to be recorded which would have a damaging result on future cash flows. The damaging result would have to be reliably estimated. This model did not permit the effects of future losses to be acknowledged, which was one of the reasons why losses were being severely understated. Had these banks valued their financial assets at fair-value cost, then the accounts of the companies would have been giving a more realistic Picture of profits & losses, and maybe the crisis would have been Recognised earlier in time. Off-balance sheet standards have also been blamed for covering company losses. Off-balance sheet asset/liabilities are those which are exempt from appearing on the balance sheet. It has been put forward by the Financial Crisis Advisory Group that the off-balance sheet standards may have hidden losses, therefore... ... risk factors. In response to the financial crisis, the Boards have been advised to emphasise to business entities how crucial it is that the quality of the data recorded for financial reporting should be to a high standard. A global convergence of accounting standards is more imperative than ever, as financial markets are now global markets. A uniform set of accounting standards around the world would enhance transparency, encourage efficient allocation of resources and would allow risks to be recognised. At the moment, over 100 countries have adopted to the IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). The Boards have advised that economies that have not adopted the IFRS, should set a practical timetable for adopting these standards. It is not only vital to converge, but also to maintain common solutions and interpretations between economies.

The Need to Prevent Supervisory Workplace Bullying

Much has been said about workplace bullying and its harmful effects to the victims. With a purpose to clear the area of discussion, this paper will talk about several areas of workplace bullying particularly the one which is manifested between bully superiors and subordinate victims. The paper will also present significantly essential components of discussion such as the issue’s characteristics, hypotheses, causes, implications and precautionary measures. The paper focuses on the supervisory workplace bullying, which involves supervisors and managers who use their power and position to intimidate and eventually inflict harm on their subordinates. The paper ultimately aims to make people realize the need to prevent, if not end, supervisory workplace bullying in order to avoid the unhealthy consequences that it brings in. It cites concrete ways to go about protecting the organization from such threat. Introduction Brief Introduction to the Topic The workplace is one setting that provides people with many experiences. As such, employees’ success or failures depend much on the particular situations that the office environment offers. Given a motivating surrounding, employees are expected to perform well and to deliver the things expected of them. Similarly, workers who are subjected to any form of work-related irritations, whether inflicted by their colleagues or superiors, are likely to manifest inefficiency and dissatisfaction at work. One particular kind of job-related nuisance which has significantly gained concern is workplace bullying. The workplace is an area that is least expected to provide employees with harmful or damaging feelings and thoughts. This is because it is in such environment where employees can supposedly have the opportunity to do their tasks and show their potentials hence the need for the workplace and its employees to be free from any manifestation of bullying. Bullying is, at present, alarmingly manifested in various workplaces. To make matters worse, workplace bullying is not limited among employees themselves. Bullying has escalated to a level that has involved no less than supervisors and higher management of companies. Supervisor or manager bullies use their authorities or positions to inflict harm to their subordinates. Purpose of the Project The purpose of this paper is to discuss, in particular, workplace bullying perpetuated by the immediate superiors of employees – or supervisory workplace bullying. In doing so, this paper seeks to present and analyze the essential details surrounding supervisory workplace bullying as an issue: its nature and characteristics, what causes the superiors to engage in it, its effects on the victimized employees, its overall cost to the company, and the things needed for its prevention. Problem Statement Supervisory workplace bullying has turned out to have a damaging impact on the employees and ultimately on the entire organization. It triggers consequences that bring more harm, as compared to the bullying that employees can do amongst themselves. Needless to say, efficient mechanisms for detecting and preventing supervisory workplace bullying have to be determined and put in place. Problem Background It is unfortunate to note that the workplace is the primary setting where employees are intimidated or bullied in today’s modern world. Bullying is no longer a common happening in recreational areas with children as the involved parties. The occurrence of bullying – especially supervisory bullying – in workplaces has become a serious concern that authorities both in the public and private sectors of society ought to address. Otherwise, its casualties would continue to increase day by day and its growing total adverse effects would remain unchecked. Scope of Problem Analysis In order to have a better and clearer understanding of supervisory workplace bullying, it is necessary to present its nature and characteristics. A detailed account of the dire consequences of supervisory workplace bullying and its quantified harm would help emphasize the urgency of preventing it from ever taking place. Then to advocate measures against the prevalence of supervisory workplace bullying, specific ways to deal with it are included in this paper. Description of the Proposed Project There will have to be ways for properly dealing with supervisory workplace bullying. Solving the problems it gives rise to will require adequate information on it – its causes and origin – and on how such problems arise from it. Research Questions †¢ Which supervisors are likely to bully their subordinates? †¢ Which subordinates are likely to fall prey to the bullying of their bosses? †¢ Which organizations are likely to have bullying supervisors? †¢ What can be done to prevent supervisory workplace bullying? Hypotheses Hypotheses have been drawn for confirmation through research on printed reports and materials about workplace bullying as a whole, and through the use of survey results as reliable data to base conclusions on. A set of hypotheses are focused on why supervisory workplace bullying has to happen. One states that supervisors who are likely to bully their subordinates are those who are not equipped with sufficient professional expertise or know-how. Thus, these supervisors try to cover or make up for their incompetence by bullying selected subordinates – in particular, those who are yet in probationary status and at the same time fearful of losing their jobs. Another hypothesis states that organizations with well-oiled and transparent working systems do not provide settings where supervisory workplace bullying will thrive; these organizations, in fact, deplore supervisory workplace bullying of any form and degree. The third hypothesis affirms that active involvement of management in the bid against supervisory workplace bullying and adequate information dissemination about it as something that is not tolerated within organizations would successfully ward it off. This would then form part of compliance to the enacted laws that require employers to see to the health and safety of all their employees. These questions and hypotheses serve as basis for doing a comprehensive research on the subject. This project aims to emphasize the need to undo the damages of workplace bullying and to establish that mechanisms that will address the prevalence of bullying in the workplace are not complicated or difficult to accomplish. This will encourage an anti-bully culture to prevail in the workplaces, which should eventually wipe out bullying as a common threat to the emotional wellbeing, the productivity level and the general welfare of organizations. Results Origin of the Concept Workplace bullying phenomenon traces its root from the trauma resulting from continued psychological fear of employees in the work environment. Heinz Leyman, the founder of a three-decade-old international anti-bullying association, has cited in her documentations that Namie (2003) used the term â€Å"mobbing† to describe such harmful act. The term â€Å"workplace bullying† was later used by Andrea Adams in the early part of 1990s to refer to the same form of intimidation when the victims happened to be employees doing their work in their respective workplaces. Thereafter, the concept of workplace bullying was introduced to the United States organizational setting by Namie in 1998 while an associate formally presented to the criminal justice system the legal issues emanating from it. Namie, 2003) Nature and Characteristics of Workplace Bullying Different sorts of threats and intimidation coming from supervisors and managers cannot be ignored. They are bound to cause stress, anxiety, discomfort and disappointment or even to inflict pain on the victimized employees. The workplace, then, becomes a hostile place. T here is no doubt that the presence of the bullying bosses doing their bullying tactics does not create a healthy culture. In general, supervisory workplace bullying damages the organization. Workplace bullying is generally characterized by the fact that it is unwanted, intentional, frequent and intense inappropriate behaviors which are enough to inflict harm and trauma-related manifestation to employees’ physical, psychological and emotional conditions (Namie, 2003). Hence, bullying in a work setting is a manifestation of either the supervisor or co-workers’ terrorizing, insulting, demeaning and embarrassing attitudes committed against employee-victim. The workplace bully wants power over his co-workers; the supervisory workplace bully wants control over his subordinates. Namie further said that workplace bullying is often caused by issues pertaining to gender, race, economic or financial status and positions of employees in an organization (Namie, 2003). Workplace bullying can be accomplished in various ways. The Trades Union Congress, by defining the term, names the factors that can lead to it: Workplace bullying can be defined as offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting or humiliating behavior, abuse of power or authority which attempts to undermine an individual or group of employees and which may cause them to suffer stress (TUC website). Samples of Bullying Acts of Supervisors The Workplace Bullying Institute has described that supervisory workplace bullies generally inflict verbal or spoken abuse against subordinate employees, create work distractions such as sabotage that hampers workers’ tasks from being completed and manifest insulting behaviors with a purpose to threaten, humiliate and intimidate the victims (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2008). Specifically, supervisor and manager bullies can manifest several intimidating conducts which vary from physical or spoken offenses and from subtle and blatant manners. Some of the evident workplace intimidations done by superiors towards their subordinates include demeaning opinion or regular criticisms; shouting or use of offensive language; belittling or unreasonable statements or jokes about an employee’s physical looks, way of living and background. Additionally, the conducts include insulting acts; segregating employees from regular job interaction and development-related opportunities; excessive workload; unimportant pressure; illogical deadlines; meddling with personal and work belongings; aggressive conducts; intentional withholding of needed details, access, assistance and resources; fabricating the idea of uselessness; uncalled work alterations; unmerited jobs; not providing due recognition; exaggerated performance checking, and illogical disciplinary actions (â€Å"Workplace Bullying and Intimidation,† 2008). Prevalence of Bullying in the Workplace and Its Cost Bullying has become so common an occurrence in the working place. This statement is confirmed by documented surveys. Among them are the following: Date of bullying survey Survey origin Ratio of employees bullied % of workforce Number of employees bullied Bullied over the period†¦ Nov 1996 IPD 1 in 8 12 3. 5m 5 years Oct 1998 TUC 1 in 6 18 4. 5m 1 year Feb 2000 UMIST 1 in 4 25 7m 5 years Oct 2003 CHI 1 in 3 37 10. 4m 1 year Apr 2002 Lyn Quine 1 in 3 37 10. 5m 1 year Jan 1999 Lyn Quine 1 in 3 38 10. 5m 1 year Jun 1994 SUBS in 2 53 14m working life Source: UK National Workplace Bullying Advice Line webpage With the frequency of bullying incidents in workplaces, the total productivity of workforces of various organizations has been greatly affected. Needless to say, lowered productivity is tantamount to wastage of time and a general failure to maximize the resources – especially the human resources – that would have been available for the organizations and their respective pursuits. A noted psychologist, Michael Harrison, Ph. D. , has cited the results of a survey involving 9,000 federal employees. The entire exercise has led to the significant findings: that 42 percent of the female and 15 percent of the male employees all experienced harassment of any form within two years from the conduct of survey in 2002. In monetary terms, such incidents of harassment have accumulated costs pertaining to lost time and productivity amounting to over US$180 million. (Farrell, 2002). Source: Working to Halt Online Abuse, 2000 Also according to surveys, the male gender composes the majority of the harassers while the female gender composes the majority of the harassed parties. Source: Working to Halt Online Abuse, 2000 Causes of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Given the fact that workplace bullying is not only contained among employees themselves but is more apparent between superiors and subordinates in current work settings, it is empirical to determine and analyze the causes of the problem. This leads to the identification of the reasons behind the inappropriate and unreasonable bullying acts committed by supervisors or managers with their subordinates as victims and the motivating factors that make them engage in such untoward acts. Throughout these procedures, theories related to supervisory workplace bullying will be analyzed as to relevance and applicability. In an analysis of 148 organizational ethnographies, Hodson, Roscigno and Lopez (2006) learned that the relative and organizational bases of workplace bullying are established by three main theories. The first supporting hypothesis stated that powerlessness is related with the vulnerability of subordinates against the bullying of their superiors. Subordinates who are not yet secured with their employment such as casual and probationary employees, members of minority groups and workers engaged in low-end services fall prey to workplace bullying by their supervisors and managers. Secondly, the hypothesis about the context or culture of an organization – the bureaucracy therein and involvement of the company management people in general – also fail to stop workplace bullying and to support initiatives that would help the organization to rationally in dealing the issue. This led to the third hypothesis which explained that common path to workplace bullying is organization chaos. This means that workplace bullying is likely to be committed by supervisors and manager against their subordinates when there is chaos in the organizational set-up or where relational powerlessness adds to the lack of transparency, liability and competence of the superiors or within the organization in general (Hodson, Roscigno & Lopez, 2006). Effects of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Namie further reported that the prevalence of workplace bullying in the country was based on a ballpark figure derived from a random survey of Michigan workers that was conducted in 2000. The study indicated that the lives of a significant number of employees were severely affected because of existence of workplace bullying in their respective companies (Namie, 2003). The issue of workplace bullying has gained significance because of the apparent implications that it has inflicted on the lives of the victims. In particular, Parker-Pope (2008) has noted that supervisory workplace bullying has taken its toll on the emotions of subordinate employees. In fact, its seriousness and the gravity of its negative effects have surpassed another sensitive work-related offense which is sexual harassment. Parker-Pope added that in the current corporate setting, supervisors and managers tend to be insensitive to its damaging implications and even regard bullying as one of the harsh management styles (Parker-Pope, 2008). Workplace bullying is generally bad for any industry. This is due to the fact that bullied subordinates are inclined not to report for work and this scenario, coupled with increased turnover of employees, eventually affects the organization. Aside from emotional impact, workplace bullying results to serious health concerns where bullied subordinates suffer tension, misery, nervousness and even signs of post-traumatic strain illness (Parker-Pope, 2008). This finding is relevant in order to have an increased awareness on the harmful effects of workplace bullying. Aside from these apparent effects, the harm inflicted to bullied employees such as financial problem, reduced self-respect and phobias as well as other physical problems are alarming signs of the issue that need to be addressed. Prevention of Supervisory Workplace Bullying Citing previous studies which proved the negative implications of workplace bullying to the victims, Namie noted that it has definitely spurred an escalated lack of civility in workplaces. Hence, there is indeed a need to regard it in the same way as the other serious work-related offenses such racial discrimination and sexual harassment. In doing so, there will be a clear identification of the bullies and establishment of guidelines. Additionally, an increased awareness will pave the way for companies to create punishments as well as for the lawmakers to enact laws addressing workplace bullying and for the criminal justice system or law enforcement to implement the penalties (Namie, 2003). Supervisory workplace bullying can be prevented if the victims will have the conviction to work on putting such harmful treatment to a stop and if the company management is committed to address the concern. It is only through the collected efforts, therefore, of both the victims and management that workplace bullying can be totally eliminated from the organization. With this kind of cooperation in place, the problem of workplace bullying would be efficiently dealt with. More importantly, the bullies would hence be restricted from taking in more victims. The initial move to prevent, if not stop, workplace bullying is to accept its existence (Union Safe, 2005). When the problem is recognized as an issue that needs to be addressed, it is essential for the company, through its management, to formulate guidelines that will punish bully supervisors and managers as well as precautionary measures or steps that will protect the subordinate victims and punish. For the part of the company, the employers need to present a clear statement among all employees that such act is inadmissible and not tolerated. Another move to prevent economic losses that can stem from bullying acts within organizations is to arrange for training programs to be cascaded from managerial to staff levels and to impose anti-harassment policies that will brook no exceptions. Such policies should cover any act of bullying as something that will not be tolerated by management. (Farrell, 2002) A four-step process for recognizing and removing the risks of workplace bullying has been outlined to specifically guide management in handing the bullies right. Step 1 involves identifying the bullies as hazards; step 2 begins the assessment of the risks of having such bullies around; step 3 brings in effective measures to control such risks identified and assessed; and, step 4 requires the evaluation and review of how the bullies were accordingly dealt with. (Preventing Workplace Bullying: A Practical Guide for Employers) The following is an illustration of these four steps: Source: Preventing Workplace Bullying: A Practical Guide for Employers Preventing any form of bullying from occurring within an organization is not simply a move that top management would want to make for the sake of avoiding the huge costs and non-quantifiable but equally dire consequences that arise from its prevalence. Instead, such prevention is a specifically required by law – specifically, by the S ection 5a of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This law defines the safe and healthy workplace that all employers ought to provide employees; such workplace should, then, be free of threats and other hazards caused by the presence of an individual bully therein. (Farrell, 2002) Putting in concrete writing the campaign of the organization against workplace bullying and its serious policies against all forms of it should come a long way in discouraging everyone from ever bullying fellow members of the organization. A sample written company rule against workplace bullying is as follows: Source: Safety & Health Assessment Research by Prevention Conclusion The support and participation of everyone – the management and the victims themselves – are significant in achieving a good fight against workplace bullying. Subordinates should be able to stop it even at its initial stage by being confident and firm in telling the bully supervisor or manager that the action is a serious offense. The union, in turn, needs to ensure in the first place that the workplace is free from any form of intimidation as well as assist and give essential service to the victim. In doing so, a victim is assured that he or she is not alone in the fight against bullying while the bully superiors are warned as well that resorting to bullying will expose them to moral and legal liabilities. Workplace bullying is a serious and dangerous issue that should not be taken for granted. With heightened consciousness about workplace bullying in general, the bulling supervisors and the bullied subordinates will know their places in the organization and the rights of everyone therein. The management and staff of companies all ought to be properly apprised as to the specifics of workplace bullying – in particular, its characteristics, signs and manifestations, causes, theoretical basis, effects, and precautionary measures against it. Through the collected efforts of the employers, management, employees and the union, the subordinate victims are saved from the ill effects of being bullied while the needed help is provided to the bully supervisors or managers. Indeed, bullying bosses would have to come to terms with issues that they have to face within themselves. They should realize that their bullying actions are manifestations of psychological disorders that would have to be treated for their own good. The significance of supervisory workplace bullying is emphasized by the above discussion on the specific bullies’ actions which threaten the victims. It is important to recognize what causes the bully superiors to intimidate their subordinates in order to identify the appropriate actions to be taken. The extent of the adverse effect of supervisory workplace bullying is more than enough to spur action aimed towards preventing it at all cost. The materials gathered from related literature confirm the hypotheses on which this research has been based. Such materials on workplace bullying indeed confirm that bullying and intimidation are done by the very people who, as supervisors and managers, should have been first to see to the generally healthy working environment that their subordinates are entitled to. The workplace bullies have turned out to be mostly superiors who delight in abusing the authority and power that go with their positions in the company by causing the people at the bottom of the organization chart all sorts of despair and anxiety. They are sick people needing psychological therapy and, unless treated, they ought to never have been designated to occupy supervisory or managerial positions. The alarming increase in the frequency of reported workplace bullying has thankfully triggered higher levels of awareness and resolve on the part of management people to be vigilant in detecting slightest signs of bullying in their respective turfs and to decisively put an end to it all. This should mean that the bullying bosses will cease to make victims of their subordinates and that the non-bullying ones will not anymore hesitate to stop colleagues from engaging in their bullying ways. Increased consciousness should generally limit the opportunities of bullies to do any bullying. It has also been an acknowledged truth, as seen by the rising prevalence of workplace bullying, that management has not been proactively battling it as something that can harm the organization, in terms of both the individual circumstances of its members and the overall effectiveness of the group. Websites of various government welfare agencies and all kinds of published materials have been decrying workplace bullying as a menace to the entire organization, citing specific reasons to substantiate the harm that it is purported to cause. This rising consciousness will equip employees with sufficient ammunition against being victimized by a bullying boss, who is most likely to get away with his bullying when dealing with an intimidated and uninformed subordinate. Thus, bullying now becomes associated with bad bosses who are harboring some insecurities, tendencies toward racial discrimination, imbalanced value systems, or psychological disorders. Gone are the days when victims silently suffer from the ill treatment that they get from bullying bosses. These days, workers now know their rights as provided by enacted laws. Articles have been written to repeatedly emphasize that bullying is a threat against the overall safety and welfare of employees, which are protected by laws as vital to all organizations. In organizations that are inadequately set up, there is bound to be chaos and lack of transparency in different matters that ought to be well-established and systematized. Indeed, bullies would not thrive in an organization where everything is in order. Among the things to be clearly made known to everybody in an organization is how each of them is supposed to epitomize the vision, mission and objectives of their organization. These ideals would encourage virtues and good traits such as honesty, willingness to work hard, treating people right, and concern for other people’s well-being. Needless to say, these ideals go against the motives that lead people to bully other people. Improvement of corporate governance, therefore, is a step toward prevention of bullying in the workplace. Healthy organizations have efficient, skilled, well-trained and confident people, both officers and staff. In such organizations, bullying will not at all be tolerated. In general, competent superiors would never feel the slightest inclination toward bullying as a management tactic or as a way to get their needed confidence-boosting. Good managers deliver what is expected of them and get people to do their own share of work without at all having recourse to bullying. In fact, it is the absence of malpractices like bullying that bolster the integrity and authority of management people. Bullying managers do not at all win the respect and admiration of their subordinates – they get only fear, and even this fear is not known to last simply because bullying either will cease once detected or once the victim has decided to leave the company for good. Workplace bullying brings in unnecessary costs and losses. In totality, it triggers all sorts of dire consequences and not a bit of beneficial result. The development in the area of proactive fight against workplace bullying has undoubtedly improved the lot of the victims thereof. But a lot remains to yet be accomplished in this line of endeavor.