Employment practices of wal-mart

Employment practices of wal-mart Introduction In the current global business world, companies are required to take consideration about its employees values and to follow ethically sound practices. Business ethics is the term people use in dealing with proper business behavior and is related to being fully aware of the consequences of the companys actions. Being aware means two things: first, adhering to the rules, laws, principles of morality, and other concerns regarding fairness and the needs of others; and second, taking responsibility of the effects to the customers, employees, and the society as a whole of the processes by which the company uses in making and rendering products and services. Founded in 1962, Wal-Mart is the worlds leader in sustainability, employment opportunities, and corporate philanthropy. It ranked first in Fortune Magazines 2010 Most Admired Companies survey and is now employing 2.1 million people worldwide (Wal-Mart, 2011). With competitive prices it sets for its products, Wal-Mart was able to destroy competitors such as Kmart and thousands of small businesses. Moreover, through profit savings from their exceptional relationship with the suppliers and operational efficiency, Wal-Mart was able to pass on its cost savings to its customers, thereby attracting them and expanding their market share in the retail industry. However, to maintain its profitability and sustainable growth, the company needs to reevaluate its strategies through internal environmental scanning. This paper will deal with the business ethics of Wal-Mart particularly its employment practices and how its organizational leadership comes into play. The writer believes that Wal-Marts employment practices are unattractive to peoples minds and include discrimination, inhumane practices, and undocumented workers. The paper will touch these ethical dilemmas, provide evidences to support each practice, and identify the principles in conflict under the Global Business Standards Codex. The paper will come into conclusion by proposing strategies on how these ethical standards can be changed in order to resolve the problem. Arguments and Discussions The Global Business Standards (GBS) Codex is a benchmark for businesses wanting to develop their own world-class code (International Monetary Fund, 2009). It comprises of simplified picture of the expected conducts of todays corporations. The authors of GBS identified eight principles (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2008) that companies must follow in creating new codes of conduct or assessing existing ones, namely, the principles of fiduciary, reliability, fairness, dignity, transparency, responsiveness, and citizenship. The creating or assessment of the code of conduct is the preliminary step for companies attempting to deal with global business ethics. The first conflict of Wal-Marts policies with the GBS Codex is with regard to the principle of fairness. Individuals finding jobs in work organizations may find that some companies incorporate opportunities for advancement while others do not. Jobs lacking in career path are less likely to offer promotions and salary increases. The common people taken out from then managerial career path are the women and minorities (Konrad, 2006). The companys old-fashioned culture reflects to the store policies. Many policies have been implemented that somehow discriminate employees especially women and strict employee to employee relationships. Women are rarely seen in management positions and at most they are not allowed to be in the top management. The federal class suit Dukes et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Spangler et al. 2008). in 2001, is the largest civil rights suit regarding discrimination based on gender. It was represented by 1.6 million women workers of Wal-Mart who were employed from 1998-2001. The plaintiffs challenged the recruitment, promotion and payment policies of the company as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Title VII, which prohibited workplace discrimination (Cq Researcher, 2009). The women claimed that Wal-Mart and its Sams Club division deny equal pay and promotions especially for managerial positions against women who were working on hourly and salaried bases. Moreover, according to them, during conversations about promotions or assignment to another department, they receive friendly and casual reminders or suggestions, yet in reality, these are discouragements. Despite the debates on the legality of the class suit, maintaining the ruling in Dukes will force Wal-Mart in complyi ng with the provisions of Title VII (Sherwyn, 2009). Other evidence of discrimination were the categorization of men and women into homogeneity by deciding on what is beneficial for them rather than asking them about their preferences (Bessen and Kimmel, 2006). For instance, the top management assumes that women employees would not be interested in the meat and sports goods department so they assign men on those departments instead. The departments where women are assigned at also consist of more walks and problems as well as lesser opportunities for advancement. Furthermore, most women experienced being assigned to a second shift for the reason that they have to continue the unfinished woks of their male colleagues. These practices of the company are not limited during work hours but also after in places beyond the companys premises which create anomic situations against women. The second unethical employment practice of Wal-Mart is the inhumane treatment of employees, a violation of the principle of dignity under GBS Codex. One instance of this was the locking up of two workers in order to clean the stores overnight (Mayhew, 2008). This issue was featured in the movie Wal-Mart and was written on the front page in New York Times.The justification of the company was to prevent these people from stealing goods since it is logical that when employees are locked off, it would be difficult for them to get away with the merchandise (Fishman, 2006). There were also reports that two nongovernmental organizations in the United States filed a suit against the company for subjecting factory workers to inhumane conditions and hazardous chemicals, and in Bangladesh for letting the factory workers work at 19-hour shifts (Kline, 2010). Other inhuman practice of the company involves forcing the employees to work even after they had punched out because according to the mana gement, they havent finished effectively their jobs yet. Critics view this as an excuse of the company to drive down overtime payment costs (Fishman, 2006). The third conflict against GBS Codex by Wal-Mart is with regard to the principle of transparency by failing to document the true names and numbers of workers. The U.S Immigration and Naturalization Service arrested 250 undocumented workers during their inspection in some Wal-Mart stores (Glicken, 2010). In 2003, the federal government arrested 300 undocumented workers and in March 2005, the company gave a settlement fee of $11 million for utilizing undocumented workers in its 21 stores (Atkins, 2008). Profit making is likely the primary motivation of Wal-Mart in hiring these undocumented workers (Hing, 2010). The use of these undocumented workers gives the company high labor savings since the former have lower wage rates and are not given fringe benefits. Conclusions Taking care of employees is more than giving them fair compensation. It also touches on the companys concern for the nurturing of their skills, mental and emotional health. In other words, the company should deal with the totality of their being as it strives to attain their financial goals. Wal-Mart failed these by practicing discrimination against women, employing inhumane practices especially to their factory workers, and utilizing undocumented workers. Women already won the debate over working equally with men. A lot of women are working as effectively as the men in the same job. To motivate Wal-Marts employees in terms of policies, the company should revise those policies that show discrimination and unequal opportunities. One way to resolve this is to increase the number of managerial positions or create a more stringent basis of promoting employees. With regard to the inhuman practices of the company, they should support and enhance unionism to give the workers stronger voice in enforcing their rights against such unethical practice. The company as well should revise its policy of giving low prices to consumers yet sacrificing employees welfare. There should be a balance between profit maximization and enhancement of employees well-being. On the issue of undocumented workers, the workers should first obtain a legal status in order to represent themselves. Moreover, the governments where Wal-Mart operates should have a more efficient documentation of the workers coming to and fro the country. In this way, the use of undocumented workers will easily be detected and addressed. On the part of Wal-Mart, it should review its delegation of tasks so that there would be no way to exploit undocumented workers.

Cleopatra Essays -- essays research papers

When you think of Cleopatra you tend to think of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. Which isn’t far from the truth. Cleopatra was queen of Egypt, which is located on the Nile River. In her lifetime she had every luxury imaginable, which she used to gain the popularity of the roman authority. She was very important in terms of Egyptian history. However she was also very well known in terms of Roman history. She seduced some of most well known Roman men of her time. Cleopatra was a seductress. Who used her fame and fortune to seduce these men. Some of these men included such men as Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. Cleopatra was born in 69 BC She was the last Ptolemaic ruler. Her father was the Ptolemy XII. She was very, which added to her popularity of the Egyptian and Roman world. Cleopatra t...

Western Civilization Essay -- essays research papers

Western Civilization from 1589 to 1914 had many specific changes that contributed to the structure of the western world before World War I. In the absolutism state sovereignty is embodied in the person of the ruler. Kings were absolute kings and were resposible to no none except god. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries absolute rulers had to respect the fundamental laws of their land. They had to control competing jurisdictions, institutions or groups that were interested in their territory. They regulated religious sects. France of Louis was the classic model of absolutism. Louis XIV, " the sun king," was a devoted Catholic who believed that god had estalblished kings as rulers on the earth. The French language and culture became an international style because of him. People liked what he was doing, people really liked him. He effected the western world in a good way. He made them see that absolutism could indeed be very productive. Constitutionalism is the opposite of absolutism. Tis is the limitation of the state law. Under the constitutionalism, the state must be governed according to law, not by royal decree. It implies the balance of power of the government and the rights of the subjects. Constitutional governments may be either be republics or monarchies. Between 1603 and 1649 absolutism ran along second to English beliefs. This is when costitutionalism began to rise. This was also during the English civil war. This was a messy period for England. After this period however, the English monarchy was restored. The Stuart kings were stored in 1660. This did not however, help religion of the relationship between king and parliament. The test was passed in 1673. This stated that those who joined the church of England could not vote, hold office, preach, teach, attend universities or assemble, and these restrictions could not be upheld. Fear of a catholic monarchy led to the expulsion of James the 2nd and t he glorious revolution. Constitutionalism was the way of the future and in my own personal opinion it was the best way to go. Shortly after absolutism and constituionalism the scientific revolution came into effect. The scientfic revolution of the seventeenth century was the major cause of the change in world view and one of the key developments in the evolution of the weste... ... The American Revolution was fought from 1775-1789. The British wanted Americans to share the imperial expenses. The Americans did not like that so they fought for there freedom and they won. They won their independence. America’s greater political equality was matched by greater social and economic equality. By the time the American revolution ended in 1789 the French revolution began and went on until 1791. The French were influenced by the Americans so they decided to revolutionize too. By the 1780’s France’s government was nearly bankrupt as was the banking system. The French raised bread prices and prices on other essentials. France had to do something so they went to war. France did not endure the immediate successes the way the America did. Theirs was a more slow moving process but eventually they got there. These revolutions reinforced the enlightenment idea that a better life is out there. Everything that happened shaped western civilization in one way or another. None more so then the American Revolution. The western world looked at was going on and learned from it. Western civilization has come along way and yet has a long way to travel.

Tomco-Hll Merger

Mumbai: Tata Chemicals, a Tata group company, and Hindustan Lever’s (HLL) Hind Lever Chemicals (HLCL) are merging together to form what would be the second-largest fertiliser company in India. This is the third time that the Tatas and HLL are coming together and this time it is in the fertilisers and chemicals businesses. Previously the two came together in the Hindustan Lever-Tomco deal in 1993 and Lakme-Lever in 1998. The Tatas hold 30 per cent and financial institutions hold 26 per cent stakes in Tata Chemicals.HLL holds 50-per cent stake in HLCL and the institutional holding is at over 9 per cent as on 31 December 2002. The boards of the two companies are meeting separately on 24 January 2003 to ratify the merger and the share-swap ratio. Sources close to the deal reveal that the valuation of Tata Chemicals is much higher than HLCL’s, hence the latter’s shareholders will be issued shares of the Tata group company. Analysts estimate the share-swap ratio will b e in the range of 2. 5 to 3:1 — that is, 2. 5 to three shares of Tata Chemicals for every share of HLCL held.The analysts say the merger between the two companies makes good business sense given its complementary qualities. The Rs 1,516-crore Tata Chemicals manufactures soda ash, salt and fertiliser. Its fertiliser production primarily comprises urea. The Rs 1,285-crore HLCL’s fertiliser business covers di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) complex NPK fertilisers and single super phosphate (SSP). With this merger Tata Chemicals will be present in all fertiliser product categories such as urea-ammonia, NPK and DAP and will also assume a leadership position in soda ash, salt and fine chemicals.Post-merger, Tata Chemicals will have an estimated turnover of about Rs 2,750 crore, profits of over Rs 170 crore and reserves of over Rs 1,600 crore. Sources say HLL, which holds a 50-per cent stake in HLCL, will see its holding dip to under 10 per cent while that of the Tatas in Tata Chem icals may go down to around 20 per cent from their present holding of around 30 per cent. HLL is also likely to keep some representation on the Tata Chemicals board to ensure a continued arrangement for sourcing the chemical STTP, a key ingredient for its detergents business.HLCL produces 80 per cent of India’s STTP output, of which HLL consumes 90 per cent. At present in India there are only two players in STPP, which makes it likely that the business of manufacture of the bulk chemical can turn into a cartel. Therefore, outsourcing the ingredient is not advisable. Moreover, the Haldia facility of HLCL is well integrated with STPP, DAP and sulphuric acid, among others. STPP also goes into DAP, fertiliser and soda ash, which will fit well into Tata Chemical’s business plan.HLL’s move in moving out of the chemicals and fertiliser business is in line with its corporate strategy to exit from its non-core activities, and in the past few years the company has been lo oking for a buyer for this business. Also HLL will move out of a non-core business at a time when its power-brand strategy is at a critical trajectory of growth. Some analysts feel that its important for HLL to retain a presence in the fertiliser business as HLCL’s fertiliser network provides a good backbone for its large-scale operations in the rural areas. HLL gets about 50 per cent of its revenues from the rural markets.Others say that in the long run it does not make good business sense for HLL to continue with its fertiliser business, which has achieved 100-per cent capacity expansion, and for which there is need for consolidation. In the era of size and scale, it makes sense to merge HLCL with a company that can provide the needed focus and thrust. Financially, both HLCL and Tata Chemicals are cash-rich. However, an unclear government policy on fertilisers, over-capacity in the soda-ash market and increasing competition in the branded salt market has led Tata Chemicals to look at future avenues of growth.This merger will give Tata Chemicals a borrowing power of Rs 300-400 crore at a crucial time when National Fertilisers (NFL) is coming up for divestment. Tata Chemicals, understood to have put in an expression of interest for two state-owned fertiliser companies, NFL and Madras Fertilisers, was said to be in talks with a number of fertiliser companies for a suitable ally. Talks of a possible merger with Tata group company Rallis India was put off after the latter severed the marketing arrangement with Tata Chemicals. There were also talks of a possible tie-up with an AV Birla group company, Indo Gulf Fertiliser, to jointly bid for NFL.Reacting to the merger announcement, the Tata Chemicals scrip jumped 9. 81 per cent to close at Rs 66. 60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange on 22 January 2003, while the HLCL scrip closed at Rs 187, up Rs 17 over its previous day’s close. The Rs 1,433-crore Tata Chemicals posted profits of Rs 126 crore last year an d had reserves of Rs 1,370 crore. The debt-free HLCL, on the other hand, posted a profit of Rs 47 crore on a turnover of Rs 1,284 crore the previous year. Moreover, Tata Chemicals reported an increase of 8. 3 per cent in net profit to Rs 47 crore n the second quarter ended September 2002, and a 13-per cent increase in sales to Rs 439 crore. Urea, which contributes 45. 9 per cent to the company’s total revenues, is under government control and a lack of clarity in the fertiliser policy has been a contributing factor to the ambiguity. HLCL reported a 47-per cent rise in net profit to Rs 7. 40 crore in the second quarter ended September 2002, mainly due to higher topline growth and a sharp reduction in interest expenses. Total sales during the quarter rose by 11 per cent to Rs 300. 59 crore

Analyses of Love in a Fallen City and the Golden Cangue

For the bulk of the mid- to late-20th Century, Eileen Chang’s name and literary prowess fell into obscurity as a result of events related to the Cultural Revolution and her own reclusion. In C. T. Hsia’s A History of Modern Chinese Fiction, he praised Chang for her use of â€Å"rich imagery† and â€Å"profound exploration of human nature. † In his book, he also claimed Chang to be â€Å"the best and most important writer† of mid-twentieth century China. Hsia’s remarks and Ang Lee’s film adaptation of her novella, Lust, Caution, have helped to bring Chang’s name back onto the literary scene. Two of her most well-known and highly praised novellas are Love in a Fallen City and The Golden Cangue. On the surface, the stories describe the details of family activities, love relationships, and marriages that occupy mundane life in places like Shanghai and Hong Kong, but beneath the simple plot lines, the stories personify the struggles of strong-willed women within the family arena during a tumultuous time of change in China. Love in a Fallen City is a love story between a divorcee, Bai Liusu, and a playboy businessman, Fan Liuyuan. As a divorcee, Liusu is forced to return to her father’s home where she is an unwelcome fixture and an added economic burden. In a turn of events, the man, Fan Liuyuan, who was supposed to be her niece’s suitor, chooses her over the niece, exacerbating her situation at home. With nothing to lose, she follows Fan to Hong Kong where their love blossoms amidst the beginnings of the Japanese occupation of the city. The Golden Cangue follows the story of Cao Qiqiao, a widow who lives in anguish as a powerless daughter-in-law in a wealthy family. She was forced into an arranged marriage with a sickly man and treated poorly by her husband’s family. After the death of her husband, she gains independence and a small amount of wealth, but after years of torment, she turns her own repressed anger towards her children. The two stories share similar sentiments in that they depict the different struggles of women in the family setting. For Liusu, her struggle was to gain the acceptance of her family and love and affection from Liuyuan. In Qiqiao’s case, her struggle was her search for an escape from her oppressive family life. Eileen Chang’s use dialogue shows the strength of the women and her descriptions within the stories help to depict the inner turmoil each woman faces. The story of Love in Fallen City starts in the household of the Bai family. News concerning the death of Bai Liusu’s ex-husband arrives from a family acquaintance. The news stirs up the issue of whether or not Liusu should return to her late ex-husband’s home for mourning, as dictated by traditional family values. The possibility that her family would send her back to her in-laws infuriates her but she still remains composed. While she is in the weaker position in terms of family hierarchy, she holds the power in dialogue because of her sharp tongue: Liusu had now reached the height of fury, but she simply laughed. â€Å"Yes, yes, everything is my fault. You’re poor? It’s because I’ve eaten you out of house and home. You’ve lost your capital? It must be that I’ve led you on. Your sons die? I’ve done it to you, I’ve ruined your fate. (Chang, 114) While obviously upset, she remains composed. Rather than allow her emotions to show physically, she translates those emotions into words. Liusu’s sharp retorts are common throughout the book and they show the strength of her character. She does not allow herself to become the victim and she responds with dagger-like words that show her anger and disappointment. The position Liusu finds herself in is a result of her family’s lack of concern for her general wellbeing and happiness. As one of the younger female members of the family, she holds no power. Everything in her life happened because her family dictated her fate. She never had a choice in which direction she should take her life and she has become embittered because of her lack of independence. When she meets Fan Liuyuan, she takes her chances and follows him to Hong Kong. Her decision to leave Shanghai has two implications. Firstly, she wants an escape from her family. After years of following their rules and hearing their complaints about her presence, she finally has a chance to leave it all behind to find her own independence. Secondly, she is strangely attracted to Liuyuan and securing his love and attention is a conquest for her. After leaving Shanghai, Liusu stays in a hotel in Hong Kong and spends more and more time with Liuyuan. The two of them develop a relationship but their intentions are different. For Liusu, getting close to Liuyuan was a way for her to leave the Bai family. Liuyuan, on the other hand is seeking spiritual love. He professes his love for her on many occasions, but she rejects him each time. Her goal in being in a relationship with Liuyuan is to have security and Liuyuan’s words hold no meaning to her, but instead are examples of his playboy behavior: Liusu was silent for a while, but finally she burst out: â€Å"Why not go ahead and just say, flat out, that you don’t want to marry me, and leave it at that! Why beat around the bush, with all this talk of not being able to decide things? Even a conservative person like me can say, ‘First marriage for the family, second marriage for oneself. ’ If someone as free and unburdened as you are can’t decide for himself, then who can decide for you? † (Chang, 149) In her scolding of Liuyuan, Liusu states her views of marriage which are defined by her real life experiences. Her first marriage was an arranged marriage that was to the benefit of her family, but for her second marriage she wants it to be for herself. She is seeking stability in her life and she does not think Liuyuan is apt to fill that void. As much as she is attracted to him, she cannot see past his playboy charm. Her defenses and words show how she is strong-willed and determined to make right what went wrong in her life. Throughout the novel, Fan Liuyuan expresses his love to Liusu. He claims she is a â€Å"real Chinese woman† and continues on to say, â€Å"Real Chinese women are the world’s most beautiful women. They’re never out of fashion. † (Chang, 135) Liuyuan loves Liusu and thinks of her as the ideal Chinese woman, yet he worries that she is part of the trap of Chinese culture that wants him only for a convenient marriage. Therefore, he tries to take her away from China to Hong Kong the colony; he even considers taking her to Malaysia and Africa, to primitive lands. By attempting to remove her from her native home, he is essentially taking away her power over him. He wants to force her into the spiritual love that he wants, undermining her position as a strong woman. In the end, the marriage does go through, but only because the war forced the two of them together. The two people both have selfish tendencies and neither could have been together in any other situation: Hong Kong’s efeat had brought Liusu victory. But in this unreasonable world, who can distinguish cause from effect? Who knows which is which? Did a great city fall so that she could be vindicated? Countless thousands of people dead, countless thousands of people suffering, after that an earthshaking revolution†¦ Liusu didn’t feel there was anything subtle about her place in history. She stood up, smiling, and kicked the pan of mosquito-repellent incense under the table. Those legendary beauties who felled cities and kingdoms were probably all like that. (Chang, 167) Because of all that she had to go through, she likens herself to other strong women in history who brought down cities and kingdoms. She secured her place in the world by overcoming all the obstacles that were presented to her. She managed to leave her oppressive family and find a second husband who will accept her as she is. Achieving her goals at the end validates her as a strong Chinese woman. The Golden Cangue presents a different story about a woman and her struggles with her family. Similar to Liusu, Cao Qiqiao is stuck in an unhappy family situation. As a daughter from a poor family, she was married off to the son of a wealthy family. In her husband’s family, she suffers from ridicule and repression. As time progresses, she slowly loses her mind because of all that she has had to endure within the family. When she finally gains some independence, she completely loses all sanity and takes out her pent up anger on her daughter and daughter-in-law. Qiqiao, in many respects, is a strong woman. She had to put up with constant ridicule from her husband’s family and she had no independence. Her resilience is characterized in her attitude and actions towards her family. As a daughter-in-law, she suffered at the hands of her husband’s family, once she becomes a mother-in-law she perpetuates this cycle of torment and directs her bitterness towards her own children and daughter-in-law. In one instance, she believes her daughter’s feet need to be bound in order to attract suitors: As she looked at them [her feet], something occurred to her and she said with a cynical laugh, â€Å"You may say yes but how do I know if you’re sensible or silly at heart? You’re this big already, and with a pair of big feet, where can’t you go? Even if I could control you, I wouldn’t have the energy to watch you all day long. Actually at thirteen it’s already too late for foot binding, it is my fault not to have seen to it earlier. We’ll start right now, there’s still time. † (Chang, 208) Qiqiao has reached a point where she lacks reasoning. All of her thoughts are convoluted and in her mind she has convinced herself that torturing her own children will be for their benefit. She is lost in her own misery because of the restraints placed on her by her husband’s family. She understands that her daughter has much more freedom than she did when she was younger. The actual decision to bind her daughter’s feet seemingly comes as a result of jealousy. Since she had to suffer, so should her children. What makes Qiqiao a strong woman is her lucid insanity. She calculates and plots every action to her own benefits and pleasure. She understands that money and power run the world, and she does what she can within her means to feel superior over others. So the golden cangue is a symbol of power and money. She wears the golden cangue as a burden on her conscience and she used it to get whatever she needed: For thirty years now she had worn a golden cangue. She had used its heavy edges to chop down several people; those that did not die were half killed. She knew that her son and daughter hated her to the death, that the relatives on her husband’s side hated her, and that her own kinsfolk also hated her. (Chang 243) The golden cangue tainted her moral being and she had become a much hated person. She was driven by power and money but in the end, her actions and effort were all for naught. She loses power over her children and she is left to die in her misery. Both characters, Liusu and Qiqiao, were products of their respective environments. The difference in the two women comes in how they take hold of their future. For Liusu, she knew she wanted an escape from her family and she took the reins of her life and got what she want with Liuyuan. Qiqiao on the other hand, attempted to get control of her life, but instead she got caught in the madness of being an opium addict. One woman was able to break free from the social constraints placed on her while the other was not. Qiqiao perpetuates the vicious cycle of family tradition that damaged her in the first place. So while she is strong in the sense that she is calculating and conniving, she fails to break the cycle that caused her misery and she is no better than other petty men. The two stories both capture the essence of Eileen Chang’s works. Through her writing, she was able give voice to the thoughts of women. She shows a great range in her depiction of women, from the weak to strong, cruel matriarchs. The works give insight into the condition of women during the early 20th century but on a larger scale they also reveal the way in which women are affected by their family life.

Hrm 300 Week 1

Human Resource Management Overview Introduction Human resource management (HRM) has evolved into a huge industry in the business arena. The evolution and advancement of technology has created a global platform for HRM. The effect of globalization in many organizations has opened the door for HRM, and it is a crucial component for a successful business strategy and plan. This paper will define HRM, and discuss HRM’s primary function and role in an organization’s strategic plan. What is human resource management? HRM is comprised of the staffing, development, motivation, and maintenance functions. Each of these functions however is affected by external influences† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 50). In HRM, staffing involves strategic human resource planning, recruiting and selection. It is important to select the right people for your organization. Recruiting is critical because it can make or break your business. Training and development consists of equipping th e employees with the necessary skills and knowledge. Successful businesses have a vested interest in the employees.Inquiring about employee goals, family, strengths and weaknesses, and using that information to assist him or her in reaching their potential can improve productivity in your organization. For example, my company offers tuition reimbursement. That is an excellent benefit to take advantage of because I value education. I have a personal goal to obtain a MBA. Because my company is paying for my education, it serves as an incentive for me to continue working for the company and strive to move up the corporate ladder.In turn, my company reaps the benefit of the skills and knowledge achieved from the training and development. The maintenance aspect of HRM involves communication and safety and health. This portion of HRM is concerned with the well being of employees, and enhances the nature of the job and personal life of the employees (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). OSHA was implemented under the government to protect the employees in regards to his or her physical safety. The contract on which I work at the U. S.White House consist of several constructions projects that Some people have to wear steal toe boots, safety glasses and ear plugs in order to prevent possible injuries. This is mandated in areas that could be hazardous. What is the primary function of HRM? The primary function of HRM has changed drastically because of Federal and State laws, new requirements with employment practices, and involves hiring the right people. Because of the changing technology the primary function of HRM is recruiting people with higher skill sets.Organizations now need people with higher level degrees and certifications in the computer field. The reason for this mandate is because information systems are becoming more complex and ever changing. New recruits must be trained on new software programs. Employees have to be able to adapt and be critical thinkers in ord er to stay up-to-speed. In addition, employees have to be trained and specialize in various fields. What is the role of the HRM in an organization’s strategic plan? HRM has various roles in an organization’s strategic plan. HRM must therefore balance two primary responsibilities: assisting the organization in it strategic direction and representing and advocating for the organization’s employees† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 34). HRM has a vital role in an organization, and â€Å"must be forward thinking† (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007, p. 34). HRM must work with management in order to accomplish the strategic plan. They must be in line with the company’s vision and mission statement in order to assist the organization. Determining ways to cut cost, but still maintain higher productivity is one way to help the business.HRM can also perform inspections throughout the organization to weed out weaknesses in operations or functions, and unprodu ctive employees (DeCenzo & Robbins, 2007). Making a few necessary adjustments by holding weekly meetings can make a big difference in implementing and monitoring the progress of the strategic plan in an organization. My company performs weekly productivity checks to keep the organization strong and fluent. We are required to report to the supervisor each week providing status on our tasks and progress, and share our ideas on how we can improve.Conclusion In conclusion, HRM is a crucial component in today’s business arena. Technology and globalization have broadened the scope of HRM. Information systems and global recruitment efforts increase the complexity of HRM. Throughout this paper, we have defined HRM, discussed its primary function, and determined how it impacts the strategic plans of companies all over the world. Reference DeCenzo, D. , & Robbins, S. (2007). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management (9th ed. ) by DeCenzo & Robbins. (9th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Manchurian Candidate – Film Theory Paper

The Manchurian Candidate, adapted from Richard Condon’s novel of the same title, was released in 1962, and directed by John Frankenheimer. Brief Plot Summary The central concept of the film is that the son of a prominent, right-wing political family has been brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy Thesis Statement The Manchurian Candidate was noted for its breakthrough in cinematography, as the scenes were shot in a creative manner that was new and different in that era.It also made use of different editing techniques to seamlessly piece the story together, along with the use of certain recurring Motifs to effectively deliver the story to the audience. This paper would examine how the groundbreaking use of cinematography, editing help to bring across the theme of surrealism, and delivers a thrilling effect while the motifs help bridge the Theme of The Manchurian Candidate with the use of visual elements. Cinematography The Manchurian Cand idate made use of several different brilliant cinematography aspects to bring forward the theme of surrealism and thrill to the audience.According to the Dictionary, the term â€Å"surrealism† refers to â€Å"an avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, characterized by the evocative juxtaposition of incongruous images in order to include unconscious and dream elements. † This theme was highlighted in several scenes in the film. Particularly in a scene where Major Marco was having a nightmare, the camera tracked from the end of Marco’s bedroom towards Marco, who was lying on the bed sleeping.The tracking shot ended with a close up of Marco’s face, with his brows furrowed as he began to experience his recurring nightmare. The close up shot of Marco’s troubled face was then superimposed onto his nightmare shot. From the tracking to close up shot, it creates a sense of mystery and suspense, which intrigues the audience and builds up the anticipation. After which it would lead up to the film’s most noted scene- the Ladies in Garden Club scene.In this scene, the director made use of a 360 degrees panning shot to showcase three different points of view- the â€Å"Reality†, the â€Å"brainwashed white man’s imagination† and the â€Å"brainwashed black man’s imagination†. These three different points of view in a dream add up to one big surrealistic nightmare scene. It is also important to note that this scene was considered to be â€Å"notorious† (Chung, 2006, p. 129) during that era, for its unconventional use of camera work. During and after the 1950s, there is an â€Å"increase in the number of dark, provocative and original films. (Mann, 2008, p. 12) and The Manchurian Candidate was one of them. It was â€Å"stylistically ambitious† (Mann, 2008, p. 12) and can be considered a breakthrough in cinematogr aphy during that era. This scene alone had to be shot 3 different times, as each individual point of view comprised of different elements and actors. The platoon was captured and brainwashed into thinking they were attending a ladies horticulture club meeting, when in fact they were present and sitting in a Communist meeting. The camera then does a 360 degrees slow panning shot from the lady speaking, Mrs.Whittaker, to everyone present in the scene, listening to the talk. However, as the camera makes a full round and returns to the start, gone was Mrs. Whittaker, and in her place stood an East Asian doctor giving the Russian and Chinese generals a speech about the brainwashed American soldiers. This panning shot builds up suspense, as the camera slowly pans around the venue, showing that there were only ladies present. It delivered a shock to the audience, who expected to see Mrs. Whittaker after the camera makes a full round, to find out that the lady was gone and replaced by a man instead.This slow panning movement also gave the scene a dream-like quality, which is a characteristic often associated with the theme of surrealism. The scene with the doctor and Communist generals reflected the â€Å"reality† of which the soldiers are unaware of, as they were brainwashed. The camera used a low-angle shot to reveal the amphitheatre filled with Communists. It was positioned behind the soldiers, as if they were looking up to those seated. This is to show that the American soldiers caught were at the mercy of those Generals present, to show authority from those seated above and around the amphitheatre.Even though they are under the mercy of the Communists, the soldiers showed no sign of fear as they were brainwashed into thinking they were facing a group of women instead. Hence the use of camera angle here provides a sort of contradiction to reality, it showed Communist authority even though the soldiers displayed no fear. Another groundbreaking use of cinemat ography can be found in the scene where Johnny Iselin was confronting the Secretary about the â€Å"number of Communists in the Defense department† with Eleanor Iselin manipulating her husband.In this scene, the Secretary was giving a press conference and Johnny Iselin stood up, and demanded to know why are there communists present in the Defense department. The scene was constructed such that the Secretary was at one end of the room, while Johnny was the other end. Yet they were able to appear in one frame, with the use of juxtaposition. As the press conference was broadcasted live, the confrontation between both parties were filmed and showed on television screen.Whenever the Secretary is in frame, Johnny Iselin would appear on the screen of a small television at the corner of the frame, thus making both parties visible onscreen even though technically, they are at different ends of the room. This use of framing and juxtapose imagery echo them theme of â€Å"surrealismâ₠¬ . Surrealism often uses incongruous juxtapositions to highlight conflicts (Strom, 2003). In one particular scene, the mastermind of this confrontation, Eleanor Iselin, appeared in the foreground, with Johnny in the background, and the Secretary reacting angrily on the small little television screen at the corner of the frame.Every action was combined in one frame capturing the whole shot, filled with conflict and movement. This framing brought the tension of the film up a few notches and audiences were able to feel the impending explosion of anger between the characters. The unconventional use of cinematography aspects in this film successfully brings forward the theme of Surrealism, with its â€Å"unusual framings and camera movements† (Strom, 2003, p. 8), which are styles indebted to Surrealism. Editing The different use of editing was also one of the most noted aspects of The Manchurian Candidate.According to Carroll (2003), â€Å"editing, or montage, was generally cel ebrated as the most important, essential characteristic of cinema† (p. 153). Hence the right choice of editing technique would set the pace and coherency of the film. This would bring us to the editing pace of the film- the long takes versus the accelerated montage. The scene that showcased a long take, happened when in Major Marco’s train ride from Washington to New York. Marco was feeling jittery and nervous, thus he decided to leave his train seat and go to the back of the train for some fresh air.He arrived at the last carriage, and stood with his back leaning against the wall. A woman followed Marco and entered the same carriage. She had observed Marco from before, and decided to follow him into the back. Marco and the woman began to strike up a conversation, with random small talks that made no sense. This whole scene involved no cuts at all, all shot at one go and thus showcasing the aspect of a â€Å"long take†. The long take builds on the tension between the meeting of two strangers, showing the entire conversation between Marco and the woman, despite it being nonsensical and weird.The audience took in the scene at one go, after which it leaves them wondering â€Å"what lies underneath this exchange of words between the Major and this woman? † The long take establishes a fact that this scene is important, as it â€Å"intensifies† a shot (Goldberg, n. d), contradictory to the fact that the content of the scene is random and consist of small talks only. As opposed to a long take, which consists of virtually no cuts, an accelerated montage consists of shots with increasingly shorter lengths.With regards to The Manchurian Candidate, the accelerated montage editing aspect occurs during the â€Å"Convention† scene, where Raymond Shaw was sent on a mission to assassinate the President. In this particular scene, Sergeant Raymond Shaw was instructed by his mother to shoot the newly elected President at the Madison Squar e Garden, with Major Marco scrambling to stop Shaw from accomplishing his mission. The establishing shot of Madison Square Garden showed Raymond walking through rows and rows of empty tiered seats, arriving at a small room high above the arena.He positioned his rifle as he prepares for his mission to assassinate the elected President while he was giving his speech. As crowds filled the arena, Major Marco struggles to locate Shaw in hopes of stopping him. The whole sequence was edited with the cross-cutting technique. Through cross-cutting, it helps to create tension and delivers the sense of thrill when the audience sees Shaw preparing to fire his rifle, as Marco runs frantically to stop him. From the first few shots of Shaw preparing his rifle and locating his target to Marco searching frantically for Shaw, was edited with shots and cuts that got shorter and shorter.It adopted the technique of Accelerated Montage, which serves to create tension and keep the audience at the edge of their seats. As this is the climax of the film, by using cross-cutting and accelerated montage, the film manages to capture the audience’s attention and builds a highly thrilling and exciting sequence. Motifs The Manchurian Candidate makes use of several motifs in this film to drive home its message and to develop its theme. One of the most glaring motifs used in this film would be the Red Queen, or the Queen of Diamonds.The Queen of Diamonds card had appeared several times in the film, particularly during scenes that involved Raymond Shaw being brainwashed. In this film, the Communists had conditioned Shaw’s brain into receiving commands and fulfilling them like a robot would. However, this brainwash condition can only be activated when Shaw hears the line â€Å"Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little game of solitaire? † After which, Shaw would proceed to take out a stack of cards robotically and began playing.As he plays the game, he would even tually draw out the Queen of Diamonds card, and upon seeing the card it would fully activate Shaw’s brainwashed condition. At first glance, it may seem that the Queen of Diamonds motif is played out to trigger Shaw’s mental condition. However, as the film progresses, the intent of using the Queen of Diamonds began to clear up- that the Queen of Diamonds was linked to Shaw’s mother, Eleanor Iselin and later in the film, his soon-to-be wife, Jocie (Blakesly, 2007).According to Blakesly (2007), the Queen of Diamonds card represented â€Å"an adamant woman, his mother, someone Raymond would rather not see†. During the first few scenes, Shaw admitted that he â€Å"despised and loathed his mother†. It was eventually revealed that Shaw’s mother was also part of the Communist conspiracy, and a woman hungry for political power. Hence, the card that would trigger Shaw’s mental condition was picked out to be the Queen of Diamonds, which signifie s his mother and hinted that his mother had a connection with the Communists. As mentioned above, the Queen of Diamonds is also known as the Red Queen.In this case, it represented Communism as this film was shot and based on the Cold War, which was ongoing during that time. Blakesly’s analysis surmises that: Another triggering device for Raymond’s conditioning is when he looks upon the Queen of Diamonds, the Red Queen, with the concomitant relationship of â€Å"red† to the â€Å"Red scare†, the communism from which the left in North America, with rare exceptions, still recoils. (p. 218) Besides being a figure representation of Shaw’s mother, the Queen of Diamonds also took on the representation of Communism.Hence it would make sense to why Shaw would fall into a state of â€Å"brainwashed condition† upon seeing the Queen of Diamonds card- he was being controlled by the Communists, with the card serving as a reminder that Communism took over his mind. Other than the Queen of Diamonds motif, the film also adopted Abraham Lincoln as a motif. The use of Abraham Lincoln ranges from obvious pictures of Lincoln himself, hanging in the Iselin house to a more subtle form, where Johnny Iselin dresses up at Abraham Lincoln in a masquerade party.The Iselins were from the Right-Wing, or Republican party. The use of Lincoln signifies the stand that the Iselins take within political context and also to serve as a kind of contradiction between right and wrong. Abraham Lincoln was a prominent leader of the Republican Party. According to Redding (2008), the film was â€Å"mediating symbolically on the political heritage of Lincoln’s republic among a corrupted public sphere†. Lincoln was used a symbol to represent America, and the director’s portrayal of the Iselins served as a satire of the America politics during that time.Johnny Iselin, the Senator, was portrayed as a drunk, impulsive and rash person. He often con fronted the government with issues concerning the communist, when in fact; he is also part of the communist conspiracy to take over the American government. This is a parody of â€Å"McCarthy†, who was a rash and impulsive Senator from the Republican Party. During the time he acted as a Senator, he often appeared drunk and caused a lot of controversy. Thus the portrayal of Johnny Iselin based on McCarthy, and the images of Lincoln all served to fuel the director’s satire on the political situation.During the masquerade party scene, Johnny Iselin dressed up as Abraham Lincoln, a contradiction as he is working with the communists whereas Lincoln was regarded as a righteous politician in the past. To further highlight the contradiction, Johnny’s wife, Eleanor Iselin dressed up as Bo Peep, a character which symbolizes innocence and naivety. However, as mentioned previously, Eleanor was anything but innocent. She worked hand in hand with the communists in order to ga in political foothold. Thus, this portrayal also serves to show a contradiction between right and wrong, righteous and evil.Portraits of Abraham Lincoln decorated the Iselin house, and in a particular scene, where Eleanor was confronting Raymond about his love interest with the daughter of a Senator from an opposition party, Lincoln was â€Å"staring† down at the confrontation. This is yet another example of contradiction between right and wrong, the mother being an evil influence was threatening Raymond to give up his love and Lincoln’s portrait in the background serves to remind us light will prevail, as the portrait was hung above of Eleanor as she speaks.The different motifs of this film helped shaped the entire plot and provided audience with clues; when they see the Queen of Diamonds they immediately would know that Raymond Shaw would be brainwashed. It also helped to bridge certain morals or theme of the story with visual elements, like the battle of right and e vil was shown through the portayal of the Iselins versus Abraham Lincoln iconography. Conclusion This paper discussed how use of cinematography, editing helped bring across the theme of surrealism, and delivered a thrilling effect while the motifs helped bridge the Theme of The Manchurian Candidate with the use of visual elements.In conclusion, The Manchurian Candidate made use of highly unconventional cinematography and editing aspects that successfully showcased the theme of â€Å"surrealism† and effectively created tension and thrill, for the audience. Not forgetting the effective use of motifs, which helped developed the main theme with the use of visual elements and provoked thought from the audience as they watch the film, while trying to piece the puzzles together.Bibliography * Blakesly, David (2007) The Terministic Screen: Rhetorical Perspectives on Film. Illinois: SIU Press * Carroll, Noel (2003) Engaging the Moving Image. USA: Yale University Press * Chung, H. S. ( 2006) Hollywood Asian: Philip Ahn and the Politics of Cross-Ethnic Performance. USA: Temple University Press * Goldberg, * Mann, Denise (2008) Hollywood Independents: The Postwar Talent Takeover. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press * Redding, A. F. (2008) Turncoats, traitors, and fellow travelers: culture and politics of the early Cold War. USA: University Press of Mississippi * Strom, Kristen (2003) Resurrecting the Stylite Simon: Bunuel’s Surrealist Film. P. 8