Summary and write a crytical analysis to article Essay - 1

Summary and write a crytical analysis to article - Essay Example nvestment in software and hardware that allowed workers better technologies to perform their jobs more efficiently; during the period 2001 to 2005, the driving factor was technological progress whereby companies learned new ways to use their equipment more efficiently to reorganize the production and distribution processes. In the year 2005, U.S. productivity grew from 2.9% from 2004. This rate easily surpassed the average 2-1/4% even though its fourth-quarter in fact recorded a fall of 0.5% as compared to the third-quarter. In the same year, unit labor costs grew 2.6% from 2004. Businesses more than covered the added compensation costs with higher prices. On average, the labor cost of manufacturing a given item jumped 2.6%, but the price of the same item increased faster (at 2.8%). The overall indication of 2005 is that U.S. productivity grew strongly, tight labor markets and upward pressure on wages did not cause problems, and profit margins held up well. Acceleration in unit labor costs sets off the inflation alarm. The last time this happened was in the late 1990s, when the growth of unit labor costs exploded upwards from 0.7% in 1996 to 4.2% in 2000. The inflation threat was however diffused when four factors prevented U.S. companies from increasing prices to offset additional production costs, forcing them to make do with severely reduced profit margins instead: a huge excess in global production capacity in the wake of the 1997 Asian crisis; the financial upheaval caused by the Russian debt default in 1998; global labor markets were not tight due to soft world growth; and, the U.S. dollar had strengthened considerably against other world currencies. In 2006 however, the global economic scenario is different. The Japanese economy is showing signs of revival after a long slump; Chinese demand is soaking up capacity throughout Asia; global labor markets are tighter in response to accelerating world growth; and the U.S. dollar has weakened considerably,

Apple Computer, Incorporated Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Computer, Incorporated - Essay Example Apple's main objective is to become the market leader by capturing a large share of the computing industry. Apple also apparently wanted to dominate the computing industry in terms of innovation. These objectives are backed with definite strategies which ushered Apple in its place in the global market. Apple's strategy is built on its core competence of developing technologically advance and innovative products. It should be noted that Apple is one of the major players in leading the evolution of personal computing since its establishment. During 1977, it can be recalled that the firm introduced the Apple II microcomputer which strongly captured home users. In 1983, Apple came up with another revolution-the Lisa which is the "first commercial computer to employ graphical interface." In 1984, Apple introduced another revolution-the Macintosh which is now known as Mac. Mac became the leader in employing user friendly graphical interface. Apple also succeeded in pioneering the use of the mouse in personal computers. The Mac marked a major success for Apple as it became a major influence in the development of graphical interfaces in other companies. ... In 1991, Apple launched its PowerBook line of portable computers "establishing the modern ergonomic form and design that has since become ubiquitous in the portable market" (Apple 1) The previous years further witnessed Apple's commitment to its innovation strategy as it expanded its focus by including professional and prosumer video, music and photoproduction solutions. Right now, Apple is also considered as a leading force in music space. Apple does not just bring innovative products to the market. The company also focused on bringing products which can better serve its customers. The saga of the innovations spearheaded by Apple recounts how the company invented more user friendly computing equipments. Thus, Apple also focuses on satisfying customer need by introducing new product features which makes computing easier. Because Apple's products are usually represents and features state of the art technology, they are positioned to attract technology savvy customers who can afford their quality. Apple strategically target customers backed by high purchasing power. Apple focuses on capturing customers in the middle and high end markets. Also, one of the most notable strategies employed by Apple is called "backwards marketing strategy." It should be noted that the company is charging its software a very low price. In fact, Apple almost gives away its software. However, this tactic is to get buyers purchase the higher priced hardware (Seward 1). Company Strengths Apple gained its name as one of the largest manufacturer and distributor of computing equipments and software. The company was able to gain this position through its competitive advantage. Apple has strong brand equity, recognized for its

The Horse Dealers Daughter

The Horse Dealers Daughter D.H. Lawrences, The Horse Dealers Daughter, tells a timeless love story of Mabel and Jack, two people of totally different social standings, falling in love. After the death of Mabels father her and her three brothers are left to be on their own. While Mabels three brothers know where they are going to go and what each of them is going to do, Mabel is still undecided. Mabel is a stubborn, hardheaded girl who does not have much to say, to anyone. And when Jack Fergusson comes through the door of their house, Jack is the last person Mabel ever expected to fall in love with, or even have Jack fall in love with her. Jack Fergusson is a successful doctor, who did not think much of Mabel. Without either of them knowing it they were brought together after Mabel tried killing her self. Love has a strange way of choosing two people for each other, but it always seems to work out. Love is a powerful thing and despite how similar or different two people may be, love will find its way and this i s shown between Mabel and Jack through the use of the symbol of the pond, the plot, and each character themselves. Mabel and Jacks love can be shown through the symbol of the pond. The pond is a symbol that can be interpreted in many different ways; one being it symbolized love (Lu 8). Mabel felt it be at her best interest that she would be better off with her mother, who is dead. She preferred to follow in her mothers footsteps (Hebert). With that, came the thought that she should just kill herself. Without knowing it, the pond was the thing that brought Jack and Mabel together. As she was walking slowly into the pond Jack watched her. As Lawrence stated in the text he followed her minutely as she moved (743). This shows that he had an interest in her and what she was doing. After realizing what Mabel was doing Jack rushed down to the pond to save her (Lawrence 744). Jack showed his true love for her when he entered the water to save her, even though he could not swim. Jack did what any doctor would do and saved her life, after he brought her from the pond he made the water come from her mouth ( Lawrence 744). After Jack saved Mabel he tended to her at Mabels home. As that is one interpretation of the pond, the pond can also show a rebirth. Before Mabel tried to kill her self she was very shy and hardly talk to anyone. Just like their love, he did not know he loved her nor did Mabel know she loved Jack. Jack and Mabel had no real interaction before. After coming out of the water they both realized that they felt something for each other that was never expected. They were brought together by this incident, and there after Jack and Mabel showed their love for each other. While the pond shows Jack and Mabels love through symbolism, the plot also helps prove the theme to they story. The plot also helps prove the theme of the story. With the plot being when Mabel tried to kill herself, this is when both she and Jack first showed their love for each other. Through all the events that happened between Mabel walking into the water and the end of the story where Jack says they must marry (Lawrence 748), they fell deep into love. When Mabel asked Jack, Do you love me, then? (Lawrence 745) it took Jack a while to answer, although he knew that he did love her and Mabel knew he loved her. As Mittlemen said in her article, before the incident Jack had never indicated the he had any love for Mabel (4). In fact before the incident Mabel did not show her love for Jack, nor did she know she had any love for him. After he saved her neither of them could help but show their feelings for each other. The plot of the story helped them to revel their love for each other. They were meant to be together and one-way or another love was going to bring the both of them together. And aft er Mabel tried to kill herself they were together, just like they were destined to be. As the plot helps prove the theme, each character, Jack and Mabel, help as well. Each character, Jack and Mabel, help to prove the main theme the story has to show. Mabel is a part of the lower class of people, who has to buy the cheap groceries (Mittleman). While Jack is a successful doctor who is high class and is considered in the upper part of society. At the beginning of the story Mabel had no idea what she was going to do with her life, so she resulted to go with her mother, but Jack saved her from making that decision. Mabel and Jack are part of two totally different social standings. With that being that is the reason why neither of them thought they would ever fall in love. Starting off Mabel was stubborn and did not really show any liking towards Jack. They are two different people who had thought they had no feelings for one another. Jack shows his kindness towards Mabel. He accepts her for who she is and what she has to bring to the table. Jack knows that she is at the low part of society but he does not let that bother him. Once he realizes that he l oves Mabel, he will not let anything stand in the way of that. He say at the end of the story, Were going to be married, quickly, quickly-tomorrow if I can. (Lawrence 748) This shows that he has true feelings for her and Jack wants her to know that. Mabel, on the other hand, knows that he loves her and she loves him to but she starts to feel horrible. Mabel feels that she is not good enough for him and she does not understand why he loves her, Lawrence stated (748). Jack and Mabel over came the differences they had. They would not let anything stand in the way of their love. They love each other and they each prove that through their characters. Although all three points, symbolism of the pond, the plot, and each character, Jack and Mabel prove the theme, there can be an argument made that each of these literary elements do not help prove the theme of the story. The symbolism of the pond does not help prove the theme of the story because Jack is a doctor and he was doing his job of saving a life, but Jack had been watching her and he rushed to save her from making a mistake he did not want her to make. Also, people would argue that the plot does not show that love is a powerful thing because it does now show that they are brought together, it shows a doctor saving a life. But after the incident he tells her that he loves her and wants to be with her. Another argument can be made that the characters of Jack and Mabel do not show the theme because each of them are different in their own ways and have no true connection but despite their differences they came to love and care for each other. Although each point can be argued ag ainst, each literary element ties into the theme of the story. Jack and Mabels love is shown through the symbol of the pond, the plot of the story and each character themselves. The pond represented love; in a way that it made each of them realize that they really did love each other. The pond also symbolized a rebirth. After Jack saved Mabel she was more outspoken and was not shy anymore. Also after they came out of the water, so did their love. Jack and Mabel let their love for one another out. The plot of the story brought them together and made them realize that they had a deep love for each other. And each character proved that no matter how different two people are they could still fall in love. It is hard to find love when one is looking, but some people do not know that the person they are meant to love could be right in front of their eyes. Love comes to a person when they are not looking. And weather or not they think that certain someone is the one, love will prove them wrong. Love is an unstoppable thing that people have no control o ver.

The Death of Marilyn Monroe Essay -- Papers Fame Suicide Famous Essays

The Death of Marilyn Monroe In the world today, we, the public, spend so much time admiring stars from Hollywood and many of us want to be like them. Yet, there is so much pressure placed on them, and some times this becomes all too much for them to cope with and they end up taking away their live. This is the unpleasant and tragic side of being famous as we are all made to believe that fame will make you happy. Edwin Morgan brings this theme into focus in the poem 'The Death of Marilyn Monroe'. He looks at how such a beautiful and worldwide icons such as Marilyn Monroe felt that to get rid of all the pressure that is associated with fame, she needed to commit suicide, which is the unpleasant truth, we the reader have to face while reading this poem. Edwin Morgan looks at this through the exceptional use of personification, symbolism and imagery. This was put to good use as it help me to create an image in my mind about how fame isn't all that it is hyped up to be and that it allows the reader to see the darker side of fame. Marilyn Monroe was the biggest film star in the late 50's. She was portrayed as being a sex symbol on the silver screen. She was a massive icon worldwide and was admired by everyone. Even today people still admire her, 42 years after her death, as she has her image on bags and calendars. Monroe, wasn't your average sex symbol, she wasn't sleazy as she had this child like innocence that so many people admired her for, including women. Edwin Morgan conveys this idea of Monroe being a sex symbol, yet, also being child like, by using a series of rhetorical questions. "What innocence? Whose guilt? What ey... ... people worldwide as they were 'shaken'. They felt that Monroe was part of their family and that the film industry will never be the same without her. Marilyn Monroe had the whole world at her feet, as she was rich and famous. Yet, fame has a darker side. Which makes you depressed and isolated. Fame is like a curse for many famous people and many people end up taking their lives such as Monroe. This gives the reader an insight of what fame is really like and what it gives you. Not money, but isolation and depression. In the end, being rich and famous only makes you unhappy, unlike what the American Dream tells us. Edwin Morgan is showing the reader the darker, more real side of fame. What we are told it is, but that is could end up taking your live away. Which is the price of being famous, that no one should pay.

Cultural framework Essay

Aside from individual perceptions and resources available to the individual and the community, interventions aimed at reducing and mitigating the spread of HIV infections must take into account the existence of social support systems in the community and society where individuals are located. For one, the availability of support either from friends, family, or community community influences an individual’s decision to adopt or change his or her lifestyle to mirror the objectives of health promotion programs. At the same time, the behaviors and lifestyles of an individual’s friends, family, or community itself may be promoting values and norms that contribute to HIV risk factors. The experiences of the HIV Prevention Planning Council of the San Francisco Health Department (2004) point to the presence of three negative influences that prevent HIV- affected individuals from seeking counselling and treatment and at the same time facilitate the continued transmission of the disease to the general populace. The first among these factors is the prevalence of drug use (p. 14), which promotes both the acceptability of substance abuse as a form of recreation and risky sexual behavior. These values are particularly dominant among San Francisco’s gay communities, whose population unsurprisingly have the biggest number of HIV infections. A second factor is San Francisco’s liberal culture (p. 13), which means that society may be more permissive of and may condone risky sexual behavior that would be deemed unacceptable in other places. The growing acceptability of risky sexual behavior and the decreasing popularity of condom use becomes a motivation for individuals to engage in activities that expose them to possible HIV infection. Moreover, the liberal culture within San Francisco’s communities may be reinforcing the acceptability of drug use, especially among poorer neighborhoods. Zierler and Krieger (1997, p. 405) note that poor communities may find substance abuse appealing, or at least find it inoffensive, since it serves both as a source of livelihood and as a source of recreation and stimulation. On the other hand, the ironic existence of racist and discriminatory attitudes within liberal San Francisco (San Francisco Health Department, 2004, p. 8) may discourage people of color, gay, and male-to-female transgendered individuals from seeking help when they become infected by HIV due to the fear that they will be doubly stigmatized by carrying the disease. Although San Francisco’s liberal values and attitudes may have negative effects on efforts to curb the HIV epidemic, these same values also provide a positive influence in combatting HIV. For one, San Francisco’s â€Å"progressive thinking and liberal policies† (San Francisco Health Department, 2004, p. 13) also enables individuals infected with HIV to easily gain the support of their friends, families, and communities, which could provide enough encouragement for them to adopt healthier lifestyles. San Francisco’s openness and diversity also allow individuals to create and live their own lifestyles with minimal pressure to conform to dominant beliefs and values which could help individuals avoid popular but negative influences on lifestyle choices. Likewise, the liberal culture within many communities enables individuals to seek support from peers such as the gay community when one’s own family displays reluctance to provide support to the individual affected by HIV. Clearly, HIV intervention programs could utilize the existence of positive social support structures in a society in order to successfully combat HIV. At the same time, these programs must be able to address and mitigate the negative influence of an individual’s social support network, including the values and attitudes of friends or family members which discourage an individual from changing his or her lifestyle to reduce HIV risk and exposure. Works Cited: San Francisco Department of Public Health. (2004). 2004 San Francisco HIV prevention plan. Retrieved February 5, 2009, from http://sfhiv. org/documents/Complete2004SanFranciscoHIVPreventionPlan. pdf Zierler, S. & Krieger, (1997). Reframing women’s risk: social inequalities and HIV infection. Annual Review of Public Health 18:401–36.

Workforce Planning

Group 2 Manage Workforce Planning Autism Victoria – Workforce Plan By James Watts, Jessica Lim, Luke Farrugia and Kair Aueil For Jan Kelly 06/04/2012 Table of Contents 1. The Necessity of Workforce Planning3 2. Overview of organisation3 2. 1. Autism Victoria’s services3 3. Strategy3 3. 1. Autism Victoria’s Vision3 3. 2. Autism Victoria’s Values3 3. 3. Autism Victoria’s Mission4 3. 4. Autism Victoria’s Strategic Priorities4 3. 5.SWOT Analysis4 4. External Factors4 4. 1. Global Factors5 4. 2. National and Regional Factors5 4. 3. Challenges5 5. Internal Environment6 5. 1. Business Planning Process6 5. 2. Internal Changes6 5. 3. Labour Issues6 5. 4. Organisational Structure6 6. Current Workforce Profile7 7. Future Workforce Profile7 8. Gap Analysis and Closing Strategies7 9. Conclusion and Recommendations8 10. References8 1. The Necessity of Workforce PlanningWorkforce planning is a comprehensive process that provides managers with a framework fo r making staffing decisions based on an organisation’s mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources and a set of desired workforce competencies. (Dessler, Griffiths & Lloyd-Walker 2007 pp78) Workforce planning allows managers to anticipate changes in the external and internal business environment and how they will impact their organisation’s workforce needs.It also provides a basis for managers to devise strategies to tackle said changes and generate the maximal amount of value for their dollar. As Autism Victoria is a non-profit organisation, it relies heavily upon government grants and funding. The limitations on this form of income make it imperative that Autism Victoria invests every penny wisely. And because the hiring and payment of workers is so costly, significant effort must be put into the workforce planning process in order to ensure that it isn’t costing the company more than it benefits it. . Overview of organisation Autism Victoria, trading as Amaz e, is a member-based not-for-profit organisation and is the peak body for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in the state of Victoria. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders, their family and carers. They also provide a range of services to individuals and agencies with an interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders (including Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS). 3. 1. Autism Victoria’s services Autism Victoria offers the following services: free phone support for individuals and organisations affected by ASD * certified and customised training programs for professionals and businesses * information and education sessions for individuals and families including the Early Days workshops * autism accreditation for services, schools and practitioners * administration of the FaHCSIA â€Å"Helping Children with Autism† funding on behalf of government * information Services – Autism Library, Spectrum Magazine, eSpectrum newslett er, online resources, Fact Sheets and more 3.Strategy 4. 2. Autism Victoria’s Vision That all people affected by an ASD have the best quality of life outcomes possible 4. 3. Autism Victoria’s Values * Diversity * Co-operative spirit * Willingness to learn * Background in dealing with an ASD 4. 4. Autism Victoria’s Mission To provide the best quality range of information, advice and support to families and individuals and advocating for systemic change, the establishment of networks, links and communities and the provision of training and accreditation to the service support system. 4. 5.Autism Victoria’s Strategic Priorities Autism Victoria’s most recent Board of Directors meeting yielded 5 priorities for this quarter. They are: 1. To confirm and enhance the role of Autism Victoria as the Peak Body on Autism Spectrum Disorders in Victoria 2. To ensure Autism Victoria is a robust and functional organisation 3. To develop and adopt a number of divers e income streams to ensure the financial viability of the organisation 4. To provide comprehensive quality information and advice on all matters related to Autism Spectrum Disorders 5.To take direct action to improve the provision of service and standards to people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder 4. 6. SWOT Analysis 4. External Factors There are several external factors which currently have an influence on Autism Victoria’s workforce planning considerations. Some of these external factors have a positive influence; others, negative. In this section, several strata of external factors will be discussed. 5. 7. Global Factors As Autism Victoria is a state organisation, there aren’t many global factors currently affecting it. The most notable factors would be the new developments in ASD diagnosis and treatment.The American-developed DSM-X diagnostic tool will be replacing the current DSM-IV version, and this has the potential to cause a great deal of uncertainty in the di agnosis of ASDs. Autism Victoria predicts that 20% of would-be autistics would be failed to be diagnosed. This would lead to a large population of ASD symptom carriers being deemed unfit for access to quality knowledge and care. One potential global factor that could be beneficial for Autism Victoria involves a conference that is currently being held by them every two years. This conference is streamed into 9 regional centres in Victoria.With the advent of new media technology that is available today, they would have the opportunity to stream the conference live into surrounding nations, spreading knowledge and awareness much more effectively. Autism Victoria is constantly on the lookout for new research and technologies which have the potential to benefit their cause. This would greatly influence their workforce planning process, as technological knowledge and skills would be a crucial part of assessing an applicant’s suitability. The advent of this technology may even creat e new job positions. 5. 8. National and Regional FactorsA national factor which has the potential to affect Autism Victoria is the introduction of a new National Disability Insurance Scheme by the Victorian Coalition Government. It is still unknown whether this new process will have a positive or negative effect on Autism Victoria and their beneficiaries. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has released an Autism State Plan for Victoria, which is committed to supporting all children affected by an ASD. In conjunction with Autism Victoria, they have been promoting the spread and knowledge of ASDs through the Victorian school system.Autism Victoria is also constricted by the funds and resources they have at their disposal. Though the amount of funding they have received has increased greatly over the last few years, there is still room for growth, as there are still a large number of ASD sufferers in Victoria. 5. 9. Challenges There are several challenges that are currently being faced by Autism Victoria. In Australia today, 1 in 100 children is diagnosed with Autism. This places a large demand on the services and support Autism Victoria provides. Funding and manpower is a significant part of the fulfilment of these demands.Autism Victoria’s CEO organises a quarterly board meetings in order to discuss a wide range of matters. The current purpose of their next meeting, which is due to happen as of now is to develop a paper for the government underling what policies Autism Victoria believe should be changed or added. They also prepare papers on how much funding is needed. Recently Autism Victoria has been lobbing with education ministers to get the amount of experience teachers get with autistic people while studying to become teachers increased.There are currently no guidelines on how much time teaching students get hands on with Autistic children, with many universities offering no hands on time with Autistic children while studyin g teaching. This is something that the current CEO of Autism Victoria believes strongly in and is trying to get changed. 5. Internal Environment 6. 10. Business Planning Process Every year Autism Victoria holds their Annual Planning Day. This is a day where planning for the next year is done. The strategic plan is revised by the Board of Directors, and all managers are required to do SWOT analysis of their departments. . 11. Internal Changes As Autism Victoria as an organisation has had enormous growth within the past 3 years, during the increase in size of Autism Victoria’s operations they have had hire many new people to meet the demands of the organisation and the community. As a result, current offices have become cramped and there is no free office space within their current offices, due to this they are currently looking at moving to a new larger office. 6. 12. Labour Issues Autism Victoria’s only current problem with labour is an oversubscription.They recently e ncountered a problem in which 100 applicants applied for a new position that Autism Victoria had made available, this in turn created a problem of having to interview lots of applications. The CEO of Autism Victoria states that they only interviewed the people that where in the yes category because there where so many applicants it was not worth there time to interview the maybes as well. 6. 13. Organisational Structure At the head of the organisation structure of Autism Victoria is the current CEO Murray Dawson-Smith. Below him 5 work teams which are headed by respective managers. There are roughly 5 staff per work team.Autism Victoria’s Organisational Chart: 6. Current Workforce Profile The current workforce employed by Autism Victoria is more than adequate to perform the tasks and operations necessary at the organisation. Though the company is expanding and will be able to hire more employees, the supply of workers desirous to gain employment at Autism Victoria far exceeds the demand for employment by the organisation. This means that Autism Victoria has a great deal of control over both the internal and the external elements of hiring and promotion, and the luxury of choice when it comes to filling any position within the organization.The internal supply of workers, however, is largely tapped out. Though the workforce is highly qualified, experienced, and performs their tasks/fills their roles in a manner that meets or exceeds expectations, individuals at the organisation are also well-suited to and satisfied with their current positions, making internal promotion or lateral movements to fill vacancies and new positions undesirable and an ineffective and inefficient way to meet current workforce needs.External supply is also quite extensive, meaning Autism Victoria has many choices when it comes to filling current workforce needs. A high level of experience is not actually a requirement for considering employment, as extensive training is available for the right candidate. When seeking employees in the external workforce, then, personality, values, and ability to fit in with the other individuals at the organization are the key considerations. 7. Future Workforce ProfileThe most significant difference between the current and future workforce profiles at Autism Victoria is the planned expansion of the organisation, which will enable it to hire fifteen more individuals. As the organisation is devoted to providing autism assistance services, the new hires will need to be willing to work in this environment and to receive ongoing training and development towards providing individuals with autism and their families with always-improving services; however current knowledge or experience in the area is not really required.Even so, there are many applicants on file in the external workforce with experience, knowledge, and a strong desire to work at Autism Victoria, such that if the experience and knowledge considerations were to becom e more important in the future this would not present a problem to the organisation in the slightest. The desire to work for Autism Victoria in the wider external workforce is so strong, in fact, that the company should not have problems filling any open positions for some time, even with the company’s emphasis on ability to personally integrate with the other members of the organisation in a productive fashion.Such strong embedded cultures can be prohibitive to outsiders, but with a large pool to choose from this should not be an issue. In addition, former employees will and do apply for open positions. Even in the external workforce, then, there are potential employees known to be a good fit with the organization. The supply of available employees in the external workforce is more than enough to meet the organization’s needs. 8. Gap Analysis and Closing Strategies Autism Victoria is in a good state to fulfil their current strategic obligations.However, with the impen ding relocation on the horizon, they will need to focus on expanding their workforce capacity in order to cope with the coming staffing demands. This will not require a large increase in staff-seeking expenditure or effort, as Autism Victoria already has the exposure necessary to warrant oversubscription. Another area Autism Victoria should focus on is increasing the technological capabilities of its workforce. With the advent of new diagnostic and treatment tools, a workforce capable of utilising these developments stands to retain its usefulness far into the future.Autism Victoria can promote this focus by developing technological training programs for its staff. An increase in funding is imperative to secure the aforementioned developments. Thus, it necessary for Autism Victoria to continue to promote government funding at every available opportunity, as this provides a layer of buffering in the event that said developments fall through and contingency plans must be introduced. 9 . Conclusion and Recommendations Autism Victoria has had the good fortune of rapid expansion within the last 5 years, and has thus far been capable of adapting to the changing environment of the industry’s workforce.But in order to secure its place in the future and fill out its expanding business scope, Autism Victoria will have to take the following actions: * Increase its workforce by 15 staff in order to adequately expand into its new location * Develop a training program to education staff in the use of the DSM-V diagnostic tool * Secure a 50% increase in government funding through the lobbying of ministers It is reasonable to believe that through the use of these recommendations, Autism Victoria stands to perform exceedingly well in the industry in a period out to 2020. 0. References Dessler, G, Griffiths, J & Lloyd-Walker, B 2007 Human Resource Management, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Australia Workforce Planning India shines Shalini Shukla 18 Apr 2012 In the last two decades, India has gone from being one of the least globalised economies in the world to one of the most dependent on international commerce. â€Å"Our markets are more open, we enjoy a wider range of consumer items than ever, and those who go abroad (far more than ever before) finance their travel expenses with foreign exchange,† says Shashi Tharoor, elected member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala and former Minister of State for External Affairs. Business process outsourcing has (also) tied large numbers of Indians to foreign work environments and business partners. † This year, India is poised to over take Japan as the third largest economy in the world, based on purchasing power parity. James Agarwal, consulting director and head – India, BTI Consultants, a part of Kelly Services, says that main growth drivers seem to be a variety of internal and external factors , including investment-friendly public policies and regulations. India has also successfully raised its aggregate savings rate to levels that would allow sustained high levels of domestic capital formation, in turn helping high growth,† says Agarwal. While India’s economy is one of the world’s most dynamic, corruption, sloppy standards, a lack of decent staff and too much red tape are common gripes amongst businesses. Prince Augustine, EVP – Human Capital at Mahindra & Mahindra, says there is much to be improved. â€Å"The potential of India has not been fully tapped in terms of its resources and people capability,† he says. There is ample scope for growth looking at the vast expanse of the country, its population and rich cultural heritage. † The country’s labour force is one to be reckoned with. It boasts the world’s largest labour pool, with 270 million entering the workforce over the next 20 years, says McKinsey & Company. It also has the world’s youngest workforce, with 70% of the population falling under the age of 35, according to the latest Indian Census. â€Å"By and large, people (in India) are hard-working, and management is participative, forward-looking and quite performance-oriented,† says Augustine.Agarwal agrees and says work culture in India requires one to be acclimatised to the behavioural as well as cultural variations of the country. â€Å"For instance, here, people consider their family when accepting job proposals, although Gen X is emulating the west gradually,† he says. â€Å"Also, workers in India have a strict work ethic; they do not mind even working on weekends if the demands are such, unlike most other countries where weekends are almost exclusively considered personal time. However, Agarwal added that Indian workers can be rather particular about certain festivals which cannot be ignored, such as Diwali. Gender equality While India has certainly done some things right on the business front to achieve double-digit economic growth, gender equality in the country still has a long way to go before it comes even close to levels of other economic giants. According to the Gender Sensitivity Benchmark for Asia 2011 report, India is the worst among six top Asian economies when it comes to the representation of women in the workplace at the junior- and middle-level positions.Indian multinational companies studied had the lowest number of women employed, at 24. 43% of the total workforce in India. Agarwal laments that despite the fact that recent times have witnessed a boost in the status of women, such discrimination still seems to exist. â€Å"Discrimination here relates to matters like pay, conditions pre- and post-employment, promotions and other opportunity matters,† he says. â€Å"For a developing country like India, gender equality is still a long way off, coupled with unprecedented efforts to grant women an equal status and the reby ensure her development. There is a silver lining though. In spite of all the challenges, India has shown and worked on progressive policies. Today, most of India’s companies are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all. Employers are increasingly realising the value of trained human resource, especially women in India. Diversity hiring intent among leading companies has gone up by almost 500% since 2010, according to a study by the Chennai-based FLEXI Careers India, which sources only women executives. Some organisations are changing their HR policies to retain their valuable employees,† says Agarwal. â€Å"There are companies which are providing flexibility so that female employees at various life stages could benefit from these policies, like working from a different city, sabbatical from corporate life, and extended maternity leave. † A host of companies, like Godrej Industries, Pepsico, Genpact, Kraft, P&G, Deutsche Bank and others, have all stepped up their gender diversity hiring recently.Progressive companies such as Mahindra & Mahindra believe in equal opportunity and do not discriminate in any form. â€Å"Our philosophy is that the right person should be selected for the job. We have an evolutionary approach to diversity as the working population base needs to be aligned to ensure that there is a rich supply of employable workforce,† says Augustine. â€Å"In the manufacturing sector primarily in engineering, although the number of woman employees is limited, we have good representation. IBM is another company that’s been championing diversity in the workplace. Three or four times a year, a team from IBM goes on a recruitment drive with a difference – they screen and select only female employees. Conservative estimates suggest IBM has added well over 2,000 women in two years, with the proportion of female workers increasing from 24% of the workforce to 26%. â€Å"We keep trying to fin d new ways of hiring women,† Kalpana Veeraraghavan, diversity manager for India and South Asia at IBM tells The Economist. This is not just about filling a talent crunch. There is a strong correlation between success in the marketplace and having a diverse workforce. † Other examples include Genpact, where the overall ratio of men to women is 60:40; Kotak Mahindra Bank, where two out of 10 employees are women; and KPMG, which has increased its headcount for female employees by 75% as compared to its figures for 2010. Schneider Electric has also bumped up its percentage of women in the workforce from just 9% in 2009 to 20% in 2011. Money talksCompanies in India are cautious, but also confident of long-term performance this year. Organisations have emerged in a mature way post-downturn with a stronger compensation philosophy in place, designed around ‘pay for performance’ and a comprehensive view for long-term sustainability. According to the Hay Group Compens ation & Benefits Report 2011, the country witnessed an actual average salary increase of 11% in 2011 and is optimistic about seeing double-digit growth this year at an average of 12% across levels.Sridhar Ganesan, managing consultant and Rewards Practice Leader, Hay Group India, says, â€Å"in a short span of the last five years, the Indian employment market has witnessed a range of behaviours with employers on a hiring spree and also in rightsizing mode. The market is now stabilising and maturing to the next level of employer and employee relationships. † Graduate salaries are also picking up with monthly salaries touching Rs 40,000 (US$758) in industries including engineering, sales, marketing and even in support functions such as finance and HR.Salaries are going up at a good time as India experiences its highest inflation rates yet, with the annual inflation rate for the country accelerating to a 13-month high of 9. 78% in August 2011. For instance, Mahindra & Mahindra do es regular Mark-to-Market comparisons and appropriate changes are made in compensation based on market realities. â€Å"Employees are aligned to these realities,† says Augustine. Ganesan also observed that there is a constant reinforcement of pay for performance. Bonus figures have been continuously showing an increasing trend year-on-year, as organisations now believe in pay for performance with controlled merit increments. † More organisations have certainly designed variable pay to induce a performance-driven culture. The target bonus percentage ranges between 8% and 44% of base salary at junior management levels, 11–63% of base salary at middle management, and 15–75% of base salary at senior management levels. The Hay Group report found that around 79% of the organisations participating paid some form of bonus in the last 12 months.When it comes to bonuses, Diwali is the time when employees expect them in India. According to The Economic Times, Diwali bonuses range from 10% to over 200% of basic pay. Consumer durables companies and IT and business process outsourcing companies are the most generous, with the former giving out 20–250% of basic pay during the festive season and the latter shelling out 80–100% of basic wages as bonuses. Bonuses in the financial services sector range from more conservative figures of 16–50% while those in the automobile industry fluctuate between 10% and 25%.The retail sector can give out anywhere from 9% to 60% of basic pay in bonus pay-outs during the festive season. LG Electronics India is a case in point. The consumer durables company gives out a total of 200–700% of basic salaries to its 4,500 employees annually through six bonuses, including two half-yearly performance incentives in January and July, a Diwali bonus, a post-Diwali bonus, an LG birthday bonus in May and a retention bonus to employees who have completed two years of service at LG.The retention bonus is a maximum of 400% of an employee’s basic monthly salary and is paid in three instalments in every consecutive year. Talent development There is no doubt that India’s vast manpower pool has played a vital role in its economic success story. It is increasingly obvious that the success of Indian companies is not just based on superior access to raw materials or technology or patents, but also fundamentally upon human skills.The major challenge, though, seems to be the issue of upgrading skill sets of this human resource through training & development in the face of high attrition and competition, says Agarwal. â€Å"Indian companies are recognising their responsibilities to enhance the employee’s opportunity to develop skills and abilities for full performance within the position and for career advancement,† he says. The India that is going global is also a remarkably young country. â€Å"India’s youth population remains an under-utilised economic as set,† says Tharoor. Census figures show that nearly one-fifth of India belongs to the 15–24 year age group.Each year, the country will add around five million young adults in that age group – five million potentially productive workers providing India with the fuel it needs to drive productivity higher, powering its economy even further. The education system is working to create a steady stream of young talent. According to National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), each year over three million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of developing this talent. Today’s new graduates seem to be grossly lacking in all-round skills – something that’s expected, given their formal education,† says Agarwal. Augustine agrees, saying some big concerns include the employability of fresh graduates and how aligned these graduates are to business re ality. Still, many reforms are underway, from governance structure of higher education and decentralisation, to major investments in faculty development, for both private and public institutions. â€Å"A lot of effort is being put into expanding tertiary education, especially for low- and middle-income students,† says Agarwal.Corporates are also doing their business to improve the quality of education and hence increase the number of employable talent. For instance, Wipro works closely with the Indian school and college system through the Wipro Applying Thought in Schools (WATIS) programme. The strategy revolves around systemic education reform and transforming the current nature of schools and pedagogy, it works through building capacity of social sector organisations working in the space of education and directly with schools. The WATIS programme has engaged with over 2,000 schools and 30 social organisations across 17 states of India.Mission10X Learning Approach (MxLA) is another program by Wipro that focuses on improving the potential for employability of engineering graduates in India. It does this through direct engagement with engineering colleges and faculty capacity development. The program reaches out to over 300 colleges and has trained 10,000 engineering college faculty members. Aditya Birla Group offers Management Trainee Programmes through which the company recruits exceptional management graduates from the best business schools in the country.Siemens India’s one year training programme sees newly recruited management trainees undergo a rigorous five-week classroom training, six stints of three weeks each in Sales, Operations, Finance, HR and Corporate Strategy, and a 26-week project within a business unit or corporate function. The synergy between the public and private partnership with a strong focus on key HR programmes such as talent management and employee capability-building, coupled with attraction and retention will be pivot al as India continues its journey of rapid growth.Laws to keep in mind when doing business in India+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to James Agarwal, consulting director and head – India, BTI Consultants, some important Labour Acts which are applicable for carrying out business in India are:+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employees’ State Insurance Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Workmen’s Compensation Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maternity Benefit Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Factories Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Minimum Wages Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Payment of Wages Act|JugaadA Hindi slang word, jugaad (pronounced ‘joo-gaardh’) translates to an improvisational style of innovation that’s driven by scarce resources – a case of ‘get it done, by hook or by crook’. Just as Guanxi describes the central idea in Chinese society, jugaad is almost a way of life in India. Most workers in India embody this intrinsic trait of jugaad in their day-to-day work, allowing them to creatively come up with products and services that are more economical both for the supplier and consumer, and maximises resources for a company and its stakeholders in as little time as possible. Resolutions for 2012The English daily, Mumbai Mirror, sums up some of the biggest workplace resolutions that people in all industries will try to keep in 2012:+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Encourage leadership – This comes in handy as companies transition from closed to open source leadership formats this year+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monitor workplace gossip – Managing office gossip is important in keeping major conflicts at bay+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strike a connect – Know the ‘why’ and then focus on the task, helping to avoid miscommunication, politicking, etc†¦|POISED TO: Cool, calm, collected or waiting at attention : as in poised to strike. purchasing power parity : aggregate:accumulated,  added,  amassed,  assembled,collected,  collective,  combined,  composite,corporate,  cumulative,  heaped,  mixed,  piled,total