Compare the rights of LGBTQ persons in the different traditions Research Paper

Compare the rights of LGBTQ persons in the different traditions - Research Paper Example ty become such a major issue with some even claiming it to be the most dangerous threat to Christian life and to the gospel, part of the cosmic battle that Satan is waging against the church? The interesting thing is that it need not be so central. It is quite clear that in the Bible homosexuality does not receive a lot of attention. In the Canada, Judaism and mainline Protestant faiths are usually seen as the most liberal, followed by Catholicism. Majority of Catholics are accepting towards LGBT but not their leaders. Catholic Church leaders still remain antagonistic towards it. Relative to other religious groups in Canada, conservative Protestants are typically seen as having the least accepting attitudes. In the media, articles and features concerning LGBT more often than not paint Christian institutions as discriminative towards LGBT. Cases of lawsuits against church institutions in response to discrimination are becoming frequent. There are also cases where teenage suicides are attributed to be caused by stigma experienced by homosexual teenagers in Christian schools. The Church maintains that they do this to keep in line with their faith which is intolerant toward any sexually deviant behaviour. In response to legal action, the Church maintains that this is discriminatory toward them. The issue that arises is that the discrimination that the Church reports is in response to laws that prevent them from discriminating against LGBT people. The Jewish Community, on the other hand, holds a different view. Among the Jewish community, sexual orientation is considered to be biological and not a choice hence the wide acceptance of LGBT. The Jewish community however, does not hold as much influence as the Christian faction and is therefore rarely featured in news articles. This is also in part due to the fact that it supports LGBT people. Despite this, there exist minor assemblies within the Jewish community who hold antagonistic views towards LGBT by the numbers are

Dell Computers Essay Example for Free

Dell Computers Essay Dell Computer pioneered a new way of making and selling personal computers. Its customers â€Å"custom-design† their computer over the Internet or phone. Dell reengineered its â€Å"supply chain† as it coordinated its efforts with its suppliers and streamlined its order-taking and production process. It can ship a computer within two days of taking an order. Personal computers lose 1 percent of their value every week they sit on a shelf. Thus, having virtually no inventory is a great advantage to Dell. Compaq tried to adopt Dells approach, but with limited success. Dell’s CEO Michael Dell understood that kind of execution. His direct-sales and build-to-order approach was not just a marketing tactic to bypass retailers; it was the core of his business strategy. Execution is the reason Dell passed Compaq in market value years ago, despite Compaqs vastly greater size and scope, and its the reason Dell passed Compaq in 2001 as the worlds biggest maker of PCs. As of November 2001, Dell was shooting to double its market share, from approximately 20 to 40 percent. Dell turns its inventory over eighty times a year, compared with about ten to twenty times for its rivals, and its working capital is negative. As a result, it generates an enormous amount of cash. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, with revenues of $8. 1 billion and an operating margin of 7. 4 percent, Dell had cash flow of $1 billion from operations. Its return on invested capital for fiscal 2001 was 355 percent—an incredible rate for a company with its sales volume. Its high velocity also allows it to give customers the latest technological improvements ahead of other makers, and to take advantage of falling component costs—either to improve margins or to cut prices. These are the reasons Dells strategy became deadly for its competitors once PC growth slowed. Dell capitalized on their misery and cut prices in a bid for market share, increasing the distance between it and the rest of the industry. Because of its high velocity, Dell could show high return on capital and positive cash flow, even with margins depressed. Its competition couldnt. The system works only because Dell executes meticulously at every stage. The electronic linkages among suppliers and manufacturing create a seamless extended enterprise. A manufacturing executive we know who worked at Dell for a time calls its system â€Å"the best manufacturing operation Ive ever seen. In 1998, Dell Computers launched its first global brand advertising campaign, beginning in the United States and Canada, to further highlight the advantages of its direct business model. The brand advertising campaign carries the theme Be Direct. The campaign highlights Dells unique business model, which helps to eliminate barriers between customers and the manufacturer, providing Dell with the means to enhance the overall customer experience. Dells advertising has focused primarily on its products and has been targeted largely at computer-enthusiast and industry trade publications, cable and local television and a few national newspapers. The Be Direct campaign will be in addition to the companys ongoing product-oriented advertising. The new brand campaign emphasizes the strengths and advantages of Dells direct-to-customer business philosophy. The direct model, pioneered by Dell in the computer industry, enables Dell customers to have computer systems built to their specifications; a single point of accountability; award-winning service and support; and fast access to the latest relevant technology. Presently, the growing number of orders comes in over the Internet. The order-taking system interfaces with Dells own supply chain control system, which ensures that inventory is where it needs to be for the computer to be manufactured quickly. In addition, Dell stores very little inventory. Instead, Dells suppliers have built warehouses close to Dells facilities, and Dell orders parts on a just-in-time basis. By implementing these strategies, Dell has been able to provide customers with exactly what they want very quickly. In addition, inventory costs are low, and Dell minimizes the danger of parts obsolescence in the rapidly changing computer industry. In this way, Dell has become a dominant player in the desktop PC market and is well on its way to doing so in the laptop and server markets. References Cravens, D. W. Piercy, N. (2003). Chapter 1: Strategic Planning and Decision Making. NJ: McGraw-Hill Companies. http://www.dell.com

Recruitment And Selection Policies For Companies Management Essay

Recruitment And Selection Policies For Companies Management Essay In order to compete successfully in a global market, more companies are beginning to focus on the role of human resources, most importantly on recruitment and selection as a critical part of their core competence and a source of competitive advantage. A good recruitment is very essential for an effective human resource management. According to Sparrow and Hiltrop (1994), the effectiveness of many other human resource activities, such as selection and training, depends largely on the quality of new employees attracted through the recruitment process. Also, Sparrow (2006) pointed out that the challenges for HR business partners in handling recruitment for an international organisation vary in each country, but a common need is the question of how to ensure rigour and consistency across operations in very different cultures, business markets and labour markets. 1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY Hiring competent individuals has always been and will always be of paramount importance to business organisations, which is highly dependent on the recruitment and selection, which aims to attract and retain high-quality individuals in order to achieve continued success within the organisations. The importance of recruitment and selection should never be ignored. One of the earliest management writers, Taylor F.W (1911) complained about the typical way individuals were selected based on who you knew or who was first in the queue. Taylor introduced the idea that people should be selected for their skills and abilities, which should be tested before the selection decision. Due to the increase in internalisation, HR departments of multinational companies have put so much importance on the recruitment and selection of their staff, primarily because recruitment and selection is involved in making future predictions about future behaviour, so that decisions can be made about who will be most suitable for a particular job. 1.2 AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY I aim to analyse the recruitment and selection policies of Ernst Young (EY) and KPMG in their different subsidiaries which are Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and to build the concepts on human resource management literature, which will help me to analyse what these companies did well? What these companies did badly? How these companies can be improved? What lessons we can learn from these companies? Would the recruitment and selection methods change overtime for Ernst Young Nigeria and KPMG Sierra Leone in the likely future?. 1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The importance of this study/paper is to explain and persuade my readers on the importance of an effective recruitment and selection policies from my analysis of Ernst Young Nigeria and KPMG Sierra Leone. 1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY According to Lee (1989) research is a systematic quest for undiscovered knowledge. The result of the pursuit of this knowledge is known as research. I would be carrying out a case study on Ernst Young and KPMG in their foreign subsidiaries; which are Nigeria and Sierra Leone and to carry out an analysis on the recruitment and selection policies used. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW There are many previous studies and literature concerning recruitment and selection, this review will aim to expand on these and use the concepts of human resource management literature to offer a diverse understanding. Recruitment is defined as searching for and obtaining potential job candidates in sufficient numbers and quality so that the organisation can select the most appropriate people to fill its job needs. Selection is the process of gathering information for the purposes of evaluating and deciding who should be employed in particular jobs. With that said, every organisation has to recruit workers, select them, pay them, and also motivate them and in the long run eventually arrange for their retirement or departure. However, things are done differently in different countries; not only do they have different cultures (the foreign subsidiaries am analysing are Nigeria and Sierra Leone which are Wes-African countries), they also operate with different educated and skilled workforces, and in different economic situations, with different labour laws, government support or control and so on. Recruitment and selection vary across different countries, in HRM there are the concepts of international and comparative human resource management, and there is a distinction between Comparative HRM and International HRM which was made clear by Boxall (1995). Comparative human resource management explores the extent to which HRM differs between different countries or between different areas within a country or different regions of the world (Brewster and Larsen, 2000). Comparative human resource management is telling us that employment systems differ noticeably between countries and that managing human resources has to vary from country to country. 2.1 INTERNATIONAL HRM In international HRM, which is the basis of this paper, primarily because it seeks to understand the approaches used in the management of employees by multinational companies in their subsidiaries. For these international organisations, human resource management is a key to success. International HRM examines the way organisations manage their human resources across these different national contexts. According to Brewster and Lee (2006), international organisations have employees who work across national borders. In international HRM, there are staffing issues that internationalizing companies encounter that are either not present in a domestic environment, or are complicated by the international context in which these human resource activities take place and how subsidiaries respond. There are four (4) main approaches in which multinational companies deal with the management of employees in their foreign subsidiaries, these approaches were developed in the international business strategy literature which focused on human resource management and was carried out by Perlmutter (1969) and Heenan Perlmutter (1979) these approaches are; Ethnocentric, Polycentric, Regiocentric and Geocentric approaches. In the Ethnocentric Approach; in this approach the strategic decisions are made at headquarters, few foreign subsidiaries have any autonomy. Key positions at the foreign operations are held by headquarters management personnel, this type of approach is common at the early stages of internationalisation because of the need to maintain good communication, co-ordination, and control links with corporate headquarters, subsidiaries are usually managed by expatriates from the parent country (PCNs). A common disadvantage to this approach is that the workers of the host country nationals (HCNs) feel inferior or cheated to the workers of the parent country nationals (PCNs) when salaries, compensation packages, company bonuses are compared. In the Polycentric Approach; in this approach the multinational company treats each subsidiary as a distinct national entity with some decision-making autonomy. Subsidiaries are usually managed by local nationals (HCNs) who are rarely promoted to positions at headquarters. Likewise parent country nationals (PCNs) are rarely transferred to foreign subsidiary operation. In this approach, there is continuity to the management of foreign subsidiaries, which avoids the turnover of key managers that, by its very nature results from an ethnocentric approach. However, the major difficulty with this approach is that of bridging the gap between the host country national (HCN) subsidiary managers and parent country national (PCN) managers at corporate headquarters. This approach will be further analysed in chapter 3. In the Regiocentric Approach; this approach is a reflection of the geographic strategy and structure of the multinational. Personnel may move outside their countries but generally only within a particular geographic region (e.g. Europe or Asia Pacific). In this approach, regional managers may not be promoted to headquarters position but enjoy a degree of regional autonomy in decision-making. In the Geocentric Approach; the multinational companies takes a worldwide stance in respect of its operations, it recognises that each part makes a unique contribution with its overall competence. It is usually accompanied by a worldwide integrated business, and nationality is ignored in favour of ability. Here, parent country nationals (PCNs), host country nationals (HCNs) and third country nationals (TCNs) can be found in key positions anywhere of the multinational, including those at the senior management level at headquarters, subsidiaries and on the board of directors. A common disadvantage to this approach is that it can be expensive to implement because it leads to an increase in training of workers and also the issue of relocation costs. The above literature illustrates the four (4) different approaches used by multinationals in the management of their employees in foreign subsidiaries, some authors believe the polycentric approach to be very global, in that, subsidiary managers are responsible for their own strategy and co-ordination is needed across multiple dimensions. However, there are critics such as Mayrhofer and Brewster (1996) who argue that the vast majority of firms are ethnocentric. These four (4) approaches provide an understanding of international human resource management (IHRM) within an organisation. 2.2 COMPARATIVE HRM There are also two (2) approaches to research and thinking in the field of HRM; due to the issue regarding whether HR practices can be transferred, these approaches are; the Universalist and the Contextual or in the terms of this chapter, the comparative (Brewster, 1999). These two (2) approaches are also reflected in the debate between the two (2) schools of thought that contest the notion of convergence. Some researchers argue that even when there are differences, they are reducing as the notion of globalisation becomes more established and societies are moving towards each other in the way they do things, also including the way they manage their human resources. Other researchers argue that there is little evidence of such a moving together and that, in fact, societies remain steadfastly different and even unique. The Universalist approach is very dominant in the USA but is widely used elsewhere. The main aim of the Universalist approach is to improve organisational performance and to achieve organisational goals in HRM, and in particular strategic human resource management (SHRM). The major problem with this approach, is that it operates only at the level of organisation, ignoring policy at the national or international level and because is dominant in the USA it therefore, pertains more to the USA and in reality, it fails to provide insights to different countries in their practice of HRM. In contrast, the Contextual approach or comparative searches for an overall understanding of what is contextually unique and why. It is more focused on understanding what is different between and within HRM in various contexts and what led to those differences. Most researchers working in this paradigm believe that it is the explanation that matters, any link to firm performance is secondary. Contextualist researchers study the importance of such factors as culture, ownership structures, labour market and so on which are the aspects of the subject rather than external influences upon it. At this point, is important to know that neither approach is right nor wrong, both approaches, and the others that exist in other parts of the world, have a contribution to make. However, in practice there are often debates between the different approaches used to understand the nature of human resource management. 2.3 DUNNING ECLECTIC THEORY From the concept of international HRM literature, we understand the four (4) approaches in which multinational companies manage their employees in foreign subsidiaries, however, to understand why these multinational companies decided to set up in foreign subsidiaries, can be better understood with the Dunnings Eclectic theory (Dunning, 1992) which usually involves an arising need to establish a corporate culture in their subsidiaries and also most importantly, to transfer knowledge from the parent country national (PCNs) to the host country national (HCNs) and third country national (TCNs) which involves the need for expatriates (number of people who are sent by multinational companies on foreign assignments on a short or long period of time). The Dunnings Eclectic theory explains the roles of expatriates, which are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To secure transfer of technology positions, as companies send the expatriates abroad in order to transfer their technology to the foreign subsidiary i.e. in countries where qualified people are not available, companies send the parent country nationals (PCNs) to fill out the positions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To secure the headquarter control, where the multinational companies can exercise this control by using the parent country nationals (PCNs) in their foreign subsidiaries. In such situations firms try to incorporate the headquarters culture into the foreign operations, which in some cases may create cultural problems. Especially when multinationals tend to demand administrative and financial control in their foreign operations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It leads to an opportunity for international experience or management development, several firms find international experience highly important before promoting their employees. Foreign transfers are here important in order to learn foreign cultures and environments. In such situations qualified host country nationals (HCNs) are available but managers are still transferred to foreign subsidiaries to acquire knowledge and skills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To help in organizational development, this could be called the Geocentric approach. This role is performed only by the best people at the best places without nationality barriers. Transfers can take place from headquarters to subsidiaries, from subsidiaries to headquarters, or from subsidiaries to subsidiaries. Nationality of employees does not matter in this situation, as the objective of this staffing strategy is to get to know about different cultures, create international networks, decentralization, and interaction between managers of different nationalities. In general, this strategy is mostly followed by larger global companies. However, multinational companies are increasingly adopting a strong global mindset and reducing the number of expatriates that are usually sent on foreign operations, which is usually costly for the multinational companies. Interestingly, multinational companies are beginning to recruit and select more of the local talents in their foreign subsidiaries and also ensuring that the top management in their foreign subsidiaries understand the headquarters desires and corporate vision and making sure it conforms in line with the headquarters. CHAPTER 3 ANALYTICAL THEORY In order to ensure successful business management, leading companies and organizations are implementing new policies, standards, procedures, ensuring space for new organisational cultures, business models, new projects and products. Yet, managing human resources is more challenging than we may even expect or even imagine and also, most importantly recruiting and selecting the right quantity and quality of staff into an organisation. The following analysis shall focus on the recruitment and selection of Ernst Young and KPMG in their foreign subsidiaries which are Nigeria and Sierra Leone. 3.1 ERNST YOUNG IN FOREIGN SUBSIDIARY- NIGERIA Ernst Young (EY) Quality In Everything We do is ranked as one of the largest professional services in the world and one of the big four (4) auditors. Ernst Young which was founded in 1989 due to a global merger between Ernst Whinney and Arthur Young, however, its individual components can be traced back to 1849. Its global headquarters is located in London, United Kingdom in the region of Europe, furthermore, Ernst Young is a global industry which offers these professional services; audit, tax, financial advisory and consultancy to their clients. Ernst Young (EY) Nigeria was set up in the year 1991, and has been in Nigeria for twenty-one (21) years. Ernst Young is one of the largest firms of chartered accountants and business advisers in Nigeria. Their clients include many multinational companies from all sectors of business. The firm also serves an impressive array of middle market and privately held companies, this structure allows Ernst Young Nigeria to be very responsive to both established businesses and emerging and developing businesses. Ernst Young Nigeria provides four (4) principal services to their clients; Advisory, Audit, Tax and Transaction services. As at time of writing this paper, Ernst Young Nigeria has a staff of 260 people including sixteen (16) partners, these partners are both Nigerians and Expatriates, the firm is administered by the Partners who occupy key positions in the firm and are responsible for making decisions on the strategic direction of the firm. The objective of the recruitment and selection policies of Ernst Young Nigeria is: To recruit and select people according to merit (quality of being particularly good or worthy) so as to ensure efficiency and effectiveness and also that the right people (in terms of qualification and experience) occupy the right positions at Ernst Young Nigeria. This objective has helped Ernst Young Nigeria recruit and select the best type of applicants into their organisation. The reasons for recruiting at Ernst Young Nigeria is either to fill a vacancy i.e. replace a member of staff who has resigned or to bring in a new member of staff to ease the workload in the team. There are various factors which usually affect the design and implementation of recruitment and selection policies of any organisation. As expected the problems encountered during the design and implementation of the recruitment and selection policies of Ernst Young Nigeria is not for public knowledge. However, I am very certain Ernst Young Nigeria faced some challenges in the design and implementation of their recruitment and selection policies at the initial stage such as total lack of knowledge of the labour market and also an important issue of corruption which seems to be crippling the Nigerian economy. 3.2 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION POLICIES OF ERNST YOUNG IN NIGERIA This is carried out differently depending on the category of staff required, which are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Professionals These categories of staff are recruited either into the Audit, Advisory or Tax Departments. The three (3) different departments have different skill requirements. Application letters and CVs are lodged by applicants and are reviewed based on the different qualifications required by each department. The minimum qualification for this category is a first degree in any field, also, professional qualifications such as ACCA, CIMA or a Masters degree is usually an added advantage. After the recruitment process is carried out, the selection is carried out which is in form of an interview, an interview is conducted by either a Business Unit leader or Manager and the HR Head of Ernst Young Nigeria, to find out more about the individual and their experience, the chosen applicants are assessed during the interview to know if they have excellent communications skills. Depending on the position being interviewed for, applicants may be asked to answer a written test. If the candidate is found sui table, a second interview is arranged with the prospective Partner during which a discussion on the salary and terms of conditions of service for the position are also discussed. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Trainees Prospective Trainee Accountants send their applications and CVs throughout the year to the company. These application letters are reviewed by members of the Human Resource department and applicants are short-listed if they meet Ernst Young (Nigeria) requirements which are as follows: i. Applicants must be aged a maximum of 25 if they are yet to start the professional examinations. ii. Applicants should preferably be graduates with good degrees; non-graduates are considered if they have started the professional exams already with good results. Applications are short-listed based on the above-mentioned criteria. Short-listed applicants are invited for a two (2) hour psychometric test. Those applicants who pass the test, are then selected and invited for an interview, this interview is conducted by a minimum of two (2) people including the HR Head and an Audit Manager. Applicants are expected to portray a commitment to the professional course they are pursuing with the intention of qualifying within the shortest possible time. This interview assesses the candidates communication skills, intelligence, and confidence. The interviewers must also be convinced that the candidate has the personality to fit into the Ernst Young Nigerias structure. Thereafter, a training program is run for Trainee Accountants by three (3) Audit professionals to get them familiarized with Ernst Young Audit methodology. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interns As part of Ernst Young Nigerias co-operate responsibilities, they offer internships/placement for graduates from recognized universities and polytechnics within Nigeria. This program should be over within three (3) months. To be eligible for the Internship Program, candidates must be in their third (3) year and possess a good predicated grade in their undergraduate degree with plans to pursue a career in audit, tax or advisory services. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Administrators à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Secretaries For the administrative staff and secretaries at Ernst Young Nigeria, an informal method of recruitment is usually used through the form of personal recommendation, often referred to as word of mouth. Those applicants who are suitable are then interviewed by the HR head, which is a very common form of selection. Thereafter, an appointment letter is sent to the suitable candidate detailing the terms and conditions of service and the salary attached to the position. The employee is required to return a signed copy of this agreement on commencement of work. 3.3 RESULTS FROM ANALYSIS From the overall framework, structure and organisation of Ernst Young Nigeria, I would say the management and staffing of employees in this subsidiary is using the Geocentric approach due to the fact that key positions at the subsidiary (EY Nigeria) are occupied by nationals of the host country (HCNs) and nationals of the Parent country (PCNs) who are all highly competent employees. The Regiocentric approach is also used by Ernst Young Nigeria reasons being that some staff are transferred within the same geographic region; some of the staff at Ernst Young Nigeria are from other African countries specifically from Ghana, South Africa all within the same geographic region. Ernst Young Nigeria commonly uses the internet method of recruitment; this method ensures a large pool of applicants, from which the best applicants are selected from. However, I disagree with this method of recruitment for a country like Nigeria, because Nigeria does not yet have a truly web coverage, therefore, people dont usually have access to the internet to apply for these jobs, and sometimes come across these jobs after the closing dates. For the recruitment of the Trainee Accountants into Ernst Young Nigeria, one of the criteria is that applicants should be a maximum of 25years; I frown upon this criterion because it is indirect age discrimination and should not be practiced, this cannot be present in Ernst Youngs headquarters due to the government legislation which frowns against any form of age discrimination. 3.4 KPMG IN FOREIGN SUBSIDIARY- SIERRA LEONE KPMG (cutting through complexity) is ranked as one of the largest professional services in the world and one of the big four (4) auditors. KPMG is a merger of Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler this merger was established in 1987, in consonance with a decision of the international council to have all affiliate firms adapt the name to underscore the advisory functions of this world-wide firm. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen; Netherland in the region of Europe, KPMG is a global industry which offers these professional services; audit, tax and advisory. Its advisory services are further divided into three service groups- Management Consulting, Risk Consulting, and Transaction Restructuring. KPMG Sierra Leone was established in the 1930s by Edward Casselton Elliot but was not known as KPMG. It was called Peat Marwick Casselton Elliot and CO and has been in Sierra Leone for about 80 years. KPMG is the largest firm of chartered accountants and business advisers in Sierra Leone. Their clients include many multinational companies from all sectors of business. The firm also serves an impressive array of middle market and privately held companies, this structure allows KPMG Sierra Leone to be very responsive to both established businesses and emerging and developing businesses. KPMG Sierra Leone provides three (3) principal services to their clients; Audit, Taxation and Advisory services. As at time of writing this paper, KPMG Sierra Leone has a staff of 120 people including three (3) partners namely; Vidal T.O. Decker (Senior Managing Partner), Claudius Williams-Tucker (Tax Peoples partner) and Derrick Kawaley (Audit partner) all nationals of Sierra Leone, the firm is admin istered by the Partners who occupy key positions in the firm and are responsible for making decisions on the strategic direction of the firm. The objective of the recruitment and selection policies of KPMG Sierra Leone is: To recruit and select people according to set competencies, competencies are defined as a combination of behaviours, knowledge, skills and personality attributes. This objective has helped KPMG Sierra Leone recruit and select the best type of applicants into their organisation. The reason for recruiting at KPMG Sierra Leone is either to fill a vacancy i.e. replace a member of staff who has resigned or to bring in a new member of staff to ease the workload in the team. There are various factors which usually affect the design and implementation of recruitment and selection policies of any organisation. As expected the problems encountered during the design and implementation of the recruitment and selection policies of KPMG Sierra Leone is not for public knowledge. However, I am very certain KPMG Sierra Leone faced some challenges in the design and implementation of their recruitment and selection policies at the initial stage such as total lack of knowledge of the labour market. 3.5 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION POLICIES OF KPMG IN SIERRA LEONE This is carried out differently depending on the category of staff required, which are: Professionals These categories of staff are recruited either into the Audit, Advisory or Tax Departments. The three (3) different departments have different skill requirements. Application letters and CVs are lodged by applicants and are reviewed based on the different qualifications required by each department. The minimum qualification for this category is a first degree in any field, also, professional qualifications such as ACCA, CIMA or a Masters degree is usually an added advantage. After the recruitment process is carried out, the selection is carried out which is in form of an interview, an interview is conducted by either a Business Unit leader or Manager and the HR Head of KPMG Sierra Leone, to find out more about the individual and their experience, roles in KPMG have required competencies based on personal and technical skills. These are assessed during the interview together with communications skills. Depending on the position being interviewed for, applicants may be asked to answer a written test. If the candidate is found suitable, a second interview is arranged with the prospective Partner during which a discussion on the salary and terms of conditions of service for the position are also discussed. Trainees Prospective Trainee Accountants send their applications and CVs throughout the year to the firm. These application letters are reviewed by members of the Human Resource department and applicants are short-listed if they meet KPMG Sierra Leone requirements which are as follows: Applicants must be aged a maximum of 27 if they are yet to start the professional examinations. Applicants should preferably be graduates with good degrees; non-graduates are considered if they have started the professional exams already with good results. Applications are short-listed based on the above-mentioned criteria. Short-listed applicants are invited for a three (3) hour psychometric test. Those applicants who pass the test, are then selected and invited for an interview, this interview is conducted by a minimum of two (2) people including the HR Head and an Audit Manager. Applicants are expected to portray a commitment to the professional course they are pursuing with the intention of qualifying within the shortest possible time. This interview assesses the candidates communication skills, intelligence, and confidence. The interviewers must also be convinced that the candidate has the personality to fit into the KPMG Sierra Leone structure. Thereafter, a training program is run for Trainee Accountants by three (3) Audit professionals to get them familiarized with KPMG Audit methodology. Interns As part of KPMG Sierra Leones co-operate responsibilities, they offer internships/placement for graduates from recognized universities and polytechnics. This program should be over within three (3) months. To be eligible for the Internship Program, candidates must be in their third (3) year and possess a good predicated grade in their undergraduate degree with plans to pursue a career in audit, tax or advisory services. Administrators Secretaries For the administrative staff and secretaries at KPMG Sierra Leone, an informal method of recruitment is usually used through the form of personal recommendation, often referred to as word of mouth. Those applicants who are suitable are then interviewed by the HR head and the partner, which is a very common form of selection. Thereafter, an appointment letter is sent to the suitable candidate detailing the terms and conditions of service and the salary attached to the position. The employee is required to return a signed copy of this agreement on commencement of work. 3.6 RESULTS FROM ANALYSIS From the overall framework, structure and organisation of KPMG Sierra Leone I would say the management and staffing of employees in this subsidiary is using the Polycentric approach, due to the fact that top management staff consists of host country nationals (HCNs) who are nationals of Sierra Leone and who are recruited and selected to manage the subsidiary, as at time of writing this paper, there are no expatriates working at KPMG Sierra Leone, the company is administered by the partners (nationals of Sierra Leone) who are responsible for strategic decisions of KPMG Sierra Leone, which implies that the top management at KPMG Sierra Leone i.e. partners understands the desires and corporate vision of KPMG headquarters. The Regiocentric approach is also used by KPMG Sierra Leone, because some staff are transferred within the same geographic region, som

Case Review :: Essays Papers

Case Review Situation Analysis From our analysis, we were able to discover causes to the previous stated problems in the Parma plant. The causes of the problems appeared to be: 1) Lack of Communication 2) Conflict 3) Ill Decision Making 4) Organizational Change 5) Job Design Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages with attached meanings. It appeared the new Shop Chairman did communicate effectively with Bill Marsh, Bob Lintz, or the salaried employees. The employees faced rumors of being closed, but specific plant closing details were not communicated to the employees. Conflict is whenever disagreements exist in a social situation over issues of substance or whenever emotional antagonisms create frictions between individuals or groups. The enormous list of demands, from the reigning Shop Chairman, was believed to have created individual differences, conflict, tension, and threatened the openness of management and union leadership, even the openness of Bob Lintz and the hourly employees. Decision-making is the process of choosing a course of action for dealing with a problem or opportunity. Different management styles of the previous Shop Chairman and the reigning Shop Chairman were different. The former Shop Chairman utilized a teamwork approached. The reigning Shop Chairman appeared to make decisions for the â€Å"good† of the union without Parma management or employee feedback. Organizational Change is a group of people working together to achieve change. GM placed demands on Parma to change the organization as quickly and cost effectively as possible. GM promoted the reduction of salaried employees, elimination of management layers, reduction of major benefits and bonus’. Job Design is the process of defining job tasks and the work arrangements to accomplish them.

Racism and Prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, an African American, named Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a white girl. Throughout the story we learn that Maycomb County, Alabama is full of people who are considered to be racist. From the beginning, even before Robinson’s trial began, everyone believed that he would be found guilty. At the end of Robinson’s trial he is found guilty. Another issue throughout the novel is many of the citizens of Maycomb are prejudice against others in the town, such as Boo Radley. A statement one may conclude after reading To Kill a Mockingbird is that racism and prejudice are comparable to habits. Racism, prejudice, and habits may be acquired by watching and listening one’s family, as well as others one interacts with, from a young age. Both racism and prejudice, like most habits, can be broken with some effort and a set mind, but one must first understand what it is they are doing wrong. To understand what is wrong with one’s behavior one might seek an adult or someone they respect to explain what it is that is wrong and why it may be considered wrong. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, the character development throughout the story shows that racism and prejudice are acquired through one’s interaction with others and that it is possible to break these mindsets. Throughout the majority of this book Scout is afraid of Boo Radley, but towards the end, after Boo Radley carries Scout’s brother home, she realizes he is not such a bad person after all (270). Scout is only afraid of Boo Radley because of the rumors she heard about him from others that she interacted with. Once Scout actually met Boo Radley herself she realized he is not scary, he just keeps to himself. The fact that Scout has an opinion about Boo Radley before actually meeting him shows that she is influenced by others around her. One may not consider this a favorable characteristic, but it is relatable to everyday life. The majority of people are easily influenced or know someone who is easily influenced, so one may comprehend more easily why racism and prejudice exist. A similar situation to the last one takes place in the beginning of the book. Most of the people in the book know very little about Boo Radley, but â€Å"[a]ccording to Miss Stephanie†¦As Mr. Radley passed by, Boo drove the  scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities† (11). Miss Stephanie tells the children and others this which causes the children and the others to form a prejudicial view about Boo Radley without ever having met him. The fact that Miss Stephanie’s statement affected others’ opinions about Boo shows how one’s statement can affect the logical reasoning of others. The others had no way of knowing if Miss. Stephanie’s statement was true or not, yet they still believed her. One may come to the conclusion that others believe something one says just to feel accepted or included.

Eschatology: The Destiny of the Unsaved Essay

In answering Steve’s comment about the destiny of the unsaved certain definitions need to be dealt with along with reference made available to us and I have just what we need. Steve I understand what you have read and the comment was made from the standpoint of the author â€Å"Clark Pinnock. † However, if you will allow me to answer your questions in defining words such as; â€Å"Hades, Gehenna, Sheol, Eternal punishment, Annihilationism, Universalism, Hell and Apokatastasis. You also asked the difference between Hades and Sheol. Since we are dealing with Sotereology, Eschatology and Ecclesiology it is only fair that we reference the Word of God. Our definitions will come from Elwell Evangelical Dictionary of Theology and some citing from Towns, Theology for Today. In defining Sheol, Elwell (2001, 1099) notes,† A place where men experience rewards, or punishments that will come to them in final judgment and a place whose power cannot withstand the church. † Hades is noted as; â€Å"A grave or the place of bodily decay; a place of punishment for the wicked,† (p. 1099). Gehenna,† according to Elwell (2001, 480), is defined in this manner; â€Å"A place that shares some common ground with Hades/Sheol; however, both good and bad souls after death prior to judgment, while Gehenna is the final and everlasting place of punishment for the wicked following the last judgment. † In answering Steve’s question of the difference, if any, among Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna and the concepts that best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the Wicked? Sheol and Hades best corresponds to the traditional understanding of the eternal abode of the wicked. Contrary to popular belief hell is explained in the Bible as a final place for the wicked, this will be brought out further in our discussion. As we continue on in our definitions, Elwell (2001, 395 Eternal punishment as; â€Å"One being cast into a lake of fire where the fire never goes out. † (Mark 9:43; cf. Luke 3:17). â€Å"He referred to ‘†hell,’† where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ’† Elwell (2001, 64), further defines Annihilationism as â€Å"expressing the position of those that hold that some, if not all, human souls will cease to exist after death. Our next word is Universalism, Elwell (2001, 1232), defines the word as; â€Å"That doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atonement is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) states Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. † Elwell, (2001, 547) further defines Hell in a general sense, he notes; â€Å"Hell is used in Scripture to [describe] or refer to a place of future punishment for the wicked. As we have elaborated on the more detrimental states of eschatology there is another state that is quite attractive to the theologian and media evangelist. This state is better known as the Intermediate State, Elwell, (2001, 608 – 609), defines this as; â€Å"The period between death as an individual phenomenon and the final judgment and consummation. If Christian thought held to not final state of affairs for all creation, then perhaps ones final situation could be conceived as being settled at death. Elwell further include the theory of Purgatory; you will not be lost, yet God will be just. At the present time, with much awareness of life as a process or evolution, purgatory has also allowed for speculation about continued development of the soul. As such, it continues to be attractive for some in a greatly modified form. † Lastly, Elwell, (2001, 81), defines the Apokatastasis, he state that; â€Å"Jesus must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through his holy prophets. Further, Elwell states that most evangelicals, while insisting on an eschatological restoration by Christ, deny the corollary assertion of the ultimate salvation of all humans. Now that we have defined the terms necessary, let me give you my understanding of the destiny of the unsaved from a biblical stand point as well. My understanding is that â€Å"Gehenna† or the â€Å"Lake of Fire† is prepared for the Devil and his angels, consequently the â€Å"Wicked,† or â€Å"Unsaved† after the â€Å"Great White Throne Judgment† will be cast into hell where they will spend â€Å"eternal punishment. † (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:12-15). Towns (2008, 795) notes; â€Å"All those who are judged at the Great White Throne are consigned to hell because they have rejected God. Hence], The Great White Throne Judgment will determine the degree of punishment the rejecters will endure, based upon the nature of their evil work. † Furthermore, in my research the most common objection comes from many sources, however the objections used for an our example is that of the Universalist. Elwell (2001, 1232), notes; â€Å"Universalism is that doctrine which asserts that all men will eventually be reconciled to God. A Universalist believes that the efficiency of the Atoneme nt is not limited and therefore extends to all. † Furthermore, Elwell, (p. 548) notes, â€Å"Universalist also believe that all will eventually go to heaven. [The Scriptures biases for this belief are as follows]: (1 John 2:2; Philippians 2:10-13; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 11:32; 2 Timothy 2:4). † Now Steve, there are many that may not share my point of view and that’s common in religious society. However, In responding to objections one has to point out that when Christ returns it will be for a â€Å"church without a spot or a wrinkle,† (Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:27). This does not mean that God does not love everyone, it simply means that He will save those who have answered his call to salvation (Holy Bible, John 3:16-21). All of this can be summed up in one word â€Å"Atonement. Elwell notes (2001, 114), â€Å"This truth is repeated, and enlarged upon in the NT, where it is made clear that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and that hell awaits them (Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5). But it is just as clear that God wills to bring salvation and that He has brought it in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son. The love of God is the mainspring (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). We are not to think of a loving Son wringing salvation from a just but stern Father. It is the will of the Father that all be saved, and salvation is accomplished – not with a wave of the hand, so to speak – but by what God has done in Christ. In reconciling the idea of hell and eternal punishment one has to understand the offer that Christ made to all mankind, (Holy Bible, John 3:16; Romans 10:9-17; Ephesians 2:1-22). Not only did God make the offer, but he also gave the consequence if one did not except Christ. God does not make our decisions for us; however, He has made a way of escape from sin to eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. What is the impact that my view of hell has on evangelism/missions? The impact that my view has on hell and getting the word out to all that will hear is to know that we all have a decision to make as for as our eternal destination. We can choose heaven or hell the choice is ours as individuals. The impact that I would like to make from this point on is to paint a picture such as explained in Towns, Theology for Today (2008, 802), â€Å"The Millennium will fulfill all the biblical desires that have been expressed towards it (Hebrew 11:10). That which brings joy and fulfillment to life will be included in the kingdom. Those things which produce sorrow or discomfort in life will be excluded from the kingdom of God. †