Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Calleeta Corporation Essays

Calleeta Corporation Essays Calleeta Corporation Essay Calleeta Corporation Essay The Calleeta Corporation May 15, 2011 HRM 520 Identify three key business issues facing Jan, Calletta’s CEO. As Calletta’s CEO, Jan is facing a number of problems such as: lack of support from board members/investors, increasing employee costs, and protests against Calletta’s offshore facilities due to the growing concern of working conditions. Jan key issue on hand is the lack of support from board members and investors. Board Members and investors right now are not supporting Jan or her proposal due to a poor return on investments. Board Members are concerned about the rapid increase of employee cost the company is incurring. Calletta is incurring a 12% cost increase annually compared to an industry average rate of just 4% in the U. S. It seems that until Jan is able to reduce employee cost along with increasing the company’s revenue and return on investments she will continue to lack the support needed for her future plans for Calleeta. Another key business issue Jan is facing at Calletta is the rapid increase in employee cost. Board Members are furious that Calletta is paying a well higher annual rate of 12% versus the industry average 4% that their competitors are paying. Board Members are demanding that Jan seek ways to decrease employee cost before approving any future plans. As a result Jan is forced to choose between HR Vice-President John Nosmas practices or the board who affects her maneuvering power for future plans. John Nosmas defends his practice of paying higher wages along with providing expensive benefit programs because he believe in hiring the best employees and believes that his practice also keep employees along with products innovated. This key business issue kind of puts Jan in a hard place because both parties play a vital role in her success as CEO. Finally, as CEO Jan is faced with the growing concerns over working conditions in their foreign facilities which are being targeted by activists on behalf of humane working conditions. This issue not only affects Calletta from a publicity stand point but from a production standpoint also. If this concern is not contained Calleta can be labeled as an inhumane place to work and may lose investors resulting in a loss of business and profit. Another concern this issue presents is eventually it could affect production due to the protesting by activists. If activists intervene in the daily operation of Calleta such as blocking supplies from coming in, it could affect production and in return revenue causing an uproar with investors in which Calleta don’t need. Therefore, it is critical that Jan resolves this issue before it before it becomes detrimental to the organization. Discuss the ways that Calleta’s HR operations are contributing to the company’s success. Calleta’s HR department is the backbone of the company’s success. Due to HR Vice-President John Nosmas and Jan’s human capital talent acquisition and retention plan Calleta was able obtained the most highly skilled individuals in their industry giving the organization a competitive advantage. John and Jan’s plan focused on matching the company’s core competences to recruits that possess the skills within Calleta’s strategy. John and Jan believed that their strong recruiting and retaining plan would give the organization a competitive edge along with innovating the company’s products. Without a strong recruiting and retention plan a company will constantly incur a high turnover rate along with inconsistency with the quality of their products. â€Å"A company that implements an effective recruitment process is likely to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace, improve returns, and achieve economies of scale. This is possible only through the recruitment of quality candidates in to the organizational workforce (Sangeetha, K, 2010)†. Therefore, Calleta’s HR operations are key to the company’s success because it thrive to find the right people to fuel the company’s products. Identify three changes that can be made at Calleta to meet the Board of Directors demands. After reading the case study it seems that the Board of Directors main demands and concerns are with the rapid increase in employee cost. Therefore to meet the Board of Directors demands Calleta would have to focus on cutting employee costs in the area of employee benefits. The first area Calleta can cut cost is in employee’s personal benefits. Calleta can cut employee cost by only paying a percentage of employee’s healthcare, dental, and life insurance versus providing these benefits at no cost to the mployee. This approach along should reduce Calleta’s cost tremendously considering the increasing cost of healthcare. This method would not hurt Calleta recruiting shceme because it’s a method most U. S. companies are adopting. According the Los Angeles Times, â€Å"in 2010 nearly a third of employers reported that they either reduced the scope of benefits they are of fering this year or increased the amount that workers must pay out of pocket for their medical care†. This approach will share the liability of cost with employees instead of Calleta taking on the full incurred cost. By sharing the cost for healthcare and insurance benefits Calleta will be able to cut employee cost drastically. Another change that Calleta can make to meet the Board of Directors demand is reducing the 401k match from 10% to 5%. Calleta currently offers a very generous 401k plan that exceeds most competitors’ plans within the industry. With the current 401k plan Calleta is losing a massive amount of money in matching employee’s contributions. Calleta is basically giving money away on top of all the other great benefits they offer. Even with reducing Calleta’s contribution amount this still leaves Calleata in a competitive position in terms of recruiting due to their other generous benefits. By reducing their 401K plan matching scheme from 10% to 5% this will reduce the amount of money Calleta was previously spending on 401K matching by half making the Board of Directors incredibly happy. Another change Calleta can make to meet the Board of Directors demands is by reducing some of their paid programs such as pet boarding. If Calleta eliminates this program as a whole they can save on paid wages, benefits, and vacation earned by employees. Programs such as pet boarding are offered outside the workplace and are considered luxury services. This type of service should not be at the cost of Calleta unless they have the revenue to support it. However, in Calleta’s case they do not have revenue to support this luxury service to employees. By eliminating this program is it helps provides some relief to the drastic increase in employee cost. Discuss how a balanced scorecard can help the CEO explain the value of her HR talent management approach. A balanced scorecard can help the CEO explain the value of her HR talent management approach by measuring the visions and goals of her approach against the various categories of the balanced scorecard to show how they performed. For instance, since Jan’s talent management approach focuses on innovation she could measure the performance of her approach against the learning and growth component to show how her approach faired against the metrics in place. In the learning and growth component metrics are generally setup to guide managers in ensuring employees receive training/mentoring to promote employee development and growth. Jan can use the results of a balanced scorecard to persuade Board Members into embracing her approach. Jan can use a balanced scorecard to show how the additional training given to employees has increased motivation and productivity to reduce product time-to-market. By illustrating how her talent management approach has increased production and morale Jan is able to defend her approach and show the value of her approach to Board Members. As a result of being able to demonstrate how her approach has benefited the company Board Members will more than likely embrace Jan’s approach because of the positive results. Identify three sample measurements in each of the four balanced scorecard categories that would support the CEO’s presentation to the Board of Directors. Three sample measurements in the learning and growth category that would support the CEO’s presentation to the Board of Directors would be: competency development expense per employee (cost control), number of employees with development plans (cost control), and number of special projects for employee development (value creation). Three sample measurements in the financial category that would support the CEO’s presentation to the Board of Directors would be: HR recruitment expense/ RD hires (cost control), HR training expense/ $ of sales revenue (value creation), and HR departmental expense/$ of sales revenue (cost control). Finally, for the customer category three sample measurements in the learning and growth category that would support the CEO’s presentation to the Board of Directors would be: number of delivers on-time, numbers of customers satisfied, and rating of quality of service. References Sangeetha, K. K. (2010). Effective Recruitment: Strategy, 7 (1/2), 93-107. Retrieve from EBSCC on May 9, 2011. Leavy, N. N. (2010). U. S. employers push increase in cost of healthcare onto workers. Retrieved from http://articles. latimes. com/2010/sep/02/business/la-fi-healthcare-costs-20100903

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous Plants Carnivorous plants are plants that capture, kill, and digest animal organisms. Like all plants, carnivorous plants are capable of photosynthesis. Since they usually live in areas where the soil quality is poor, they must supplement their diet with nutrients gained from digesting animals. Like other flowering plants, carnivorous plants use tricks to entice insects. These plants have developed specialized leaves that work to lure and then trap unsuspecting insects. Key Takeaways Carnivorous plants are plants that have the ability to eat animal organisms. These highly specialized plants are able to both lure and trap insects.The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is the most well known of the carnivorous plants. They live in wet areas such as bogs and swamps.Sundews are covered in tentacles. Their tentacles make a sticky dew-like substance that attracts insects.Bladderworts are plants that dont have roots and are often found in aquatic areas and in areas with wet soil. They capture insects via a trapdoor.Other examples of carnivorous plants include tropical pitcher plants and North American pitcher plants. There are several genera of carnivorous plants and hundreds of carnivorous plant species. Here are some of my favorite genera of carnivorous plants: Flytraps - Dionaea muscipula Dionaea muscipula, also known as the Venus flytrap, is probably the most well known of the carnivorous plants. Insects are lured into the mouth-like leaves by nectar. Once an insect enters the trap it touches tiny hairs on the leaves. This sends impulses through the plant triggering the leaves to close. Glands located in the leaves release enzymes that digest the prey and the nutrients are absorbed by the leaves. Flies, ants, and other bugs are not the only animals that the flytrap may snare. Frogs and other small vertebrates may sometimes become trapped by the plant as well. Venus flytraps live in wet, nutrient-poor environments, such as bogs, wet savannas, and swamps. Sundews - Drosera Sundew feeding on a green lacewing. Reinhard Dirscherl/WaterFrame/Getty Images Plus Species of plants from the genus Drosera are called Sundews. These plants live in wet biomes, including marshes, bogs, and swamps. Sundews are covered with tentacles that produce a sticky dew-like substance that glitters in the sunlight. Insects and other small creatures are attracted to the dew and become stuck when they land on the leaves. The tentacles then close around the insects and digestive enzymes break down the prey. Sundews typically capture flies, mosquitoes, moths, and spiders. Tropical Pitchers - Nepenthes Plant species from the genus Nepenthes are known as Tropical Pitcher plants or Monkey Cups. These plants are typically found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The leaves of pitcher plants are brightly colored and shaped like pitchers. Insects are lured to the plant by the bright colors and nectar. The inside walls of the leaves are covered with waxy scales that make them very slippery. Insects may slip and fall to the bottom of the pitcher where the plant secretes digestive fluids. Large pitcher plants have been known to trap small frogs, snakes, and even birds. North American Pitchers - Sarracenia Species from the genus Sarracenia are called North American Pitcher plants. These plants inhabit grassy marshes, swamps, and other wetlands. The leaves of Sarracenia plants are also shaped like pitchers. Insects are lured to the plant by nectar and may slip from the edge of the leaves and fall to the bottom of the pitcher. In some species, the insects die when they drown in water that has accumulated at the bottom of the pitcher. They are then digested by enzymes that are released into the water. Bladderworts - Utricularia Utricularia australis (bladderwort). Paul Starosta/Corbis Documentary/Getty Images Plus Species of Utricularia are known as Bladderworts. The name comes from the tiny sacs, which resemble bladders, that are located on the stems and leaves. Bladderworts are rootless plants found in aquatic areas and in wet soil. These plants have a trapdoor mechanism for capturing prey. The sacs have a small membrane cover that acts as a door. Their oval shape creates a vacuum that sucks in tiny insects when they trigger hairs that are located around the door. Digestive enzymes are then released inside the sacs to digest the prey. Bladderworts consume aquatic invertebrates, water fleas, insect larvae, and even small fish. More About Carnivorous Plants For more information about carnivorous plants, take a look at the Carnivorous Plant Database and The Carnivorous Plant FAQ. Sources Reece, Jane B., and Neil A. Campbell. Campbell Biology. Benjamin Cummings, 2011.

Friday, February 14, 2020

BHS 499 (Senior Capstone Project) Module 3 SLP Essay

BHS 499 (Senior Capstone Project) Module 3 SLP - Essay Example One major implication of health care fraud and abuse is the monetary loss due to e improper activities which endanger patient safety. The United States Attorneys' offices (USAOs) are held responsible for the civil and criminal prosecution of health care providers, professionals, and other specialized business agencies who engage with health care fraud and abuse. The US government has appropriated certain amount (DOJ, 2000) from the United States Treasury general fund and they in turn must appropriate the Account for transfer some to the federal Bureau of Investigation in order to carry out the purpose and processes as described in above statements. Another implication is the intensification of health care fraud enforcement. This can never be achieved without the cooperation of other stakeholders. In fact, the FBI is one organization involved in the said cooperative effort. Federal agencies needs to collaborate with health care fraud working groups, have a liaison program among organizations and attend trainings as well as conferences. New statutory tools are believed to support ad be provided in order to combat health care fraud. Although Around $451,000 was budgeted to HCFA ($395,500) as well as the ASMB or Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget at the end of 2000 for the formal risk management operations.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Financial Decision Taking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Financial Decision Taking - Essay Example The TMO is also a service-oriented firm with limited resources, such that a well-taken financial decision is critical to its organizational integrity. This essay is structured such that the succeeding sections consist of an assessment, a lineup of conceptual models, a critical evaluation and a conclusion. In the assessment section, the essay discusses the importance of financial planning in the context of TMO's organizational structure and strategic goals. The conceptual models review the available literature on the subject, while the critical evaluation attempts to relate the academic models so mentioned to the real world, meaning the TMO. As part of the conclusion, we will appraise the financial decisions and strategies most suitable for the TMO based on all the preceding data. The TMO administers a London borough consisting of 238 homes of individual designs on eight blocks of a small housing project alongside a main road. This is one of the oldest of similar setups in London, where the blocks of houses had been there as far back as 1947 such that they are in dire need of refurbishing and maintenance. Families of multi-racial origin occupy these housing units under either a tenancy or leasehold agreement, and the estate is easily accessible by bus and subway train services. This TMO became a self-governing body in April 2003, as did four other TMOs managing similar estates in the London area, when the local government compartmentalized its function of providing low-cost housing services to constituents. This fragmentation process came on the heels of the privatization binge involving local government assets and service, a major program of the national government since 1979. Now, the TMO runs the borough through a management committee headed by an operatio ns manager and supported by a six-man staff. The turnover of housing functions to TMO was part of the central government's cost-cutting program and strategy of getting politics out of social services, which tended to hamper activities in this area when local authorities were in control. Thus, management of the housing funds was shifted to agencies, which would be more accountable at the central level and less accountable to local political forces (Cairncross & Calpham). In ceding the function to the TMOs, however, the local authorities set the ground rules that exhort the former to utilize "creative accounting measures." These include; 1) building up a revenue balance to regular the yearly expenditures; 2) sale of suitable assets to generate income for use as capital expenditure; 3) rescheduling existing debts; 4) capitalizing the expenditure on such activities as repair and modernization previously

Friday, January 24, 2020

The Philosophy of Sex and Gender in Russia Essay examples -- Feminism

The Philosophy of Sex and Gender in Russia This presentation focuses on the main philosophical approaches toward analyzing the notions of "sex" and "gender" in Russia since the nineteenth century. I analyze the conceptions and ideas which were developed by Aleksey Khomyakov, Nicolai Chernyshevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Fedor Dostoevsky, Vladimir Solovyov and some other philosophers. Then, I discuss the concept of emancipation of women within the framework of Marxist-Leninist theory, which played a role in the state's "women's philosophy" in the Soviet period, and within the existing modern viewpoints. My methodology is based on concepts and guidelines developed in feminist philosophy. One of the goals, as put forward by feminist philosophy, is to discover the gender determinateness of the metatheoretical foundations of science and traditional Western humanitarianism and of philosophy. This problem can be quite successfully solved on the basis of Western philosophic studies. Russian philosophy, however, has not so far become a subject of feminist analysis either in Russia or in the West. Therefore, my research in this field could be considered rather novel. This presentation focuses on the main philosophical approaches toward analyzing the notions of "sex" and "gender" in Russia. First of all, I mean the last century's philosophy of sex and the theology of gender, the concept of emancipation of women within the framework of the Marxist-Leninist theory of women's emancipation, which played the role of state "women's philosophy" in the Soviet period, and the existing modern viewpoints. My methodology is based on concepts and guidelines, developed in the feminist philosophy and presented inter alia in the works of Genevieve Lloyd, ... ...a and R.Tong. Gender/Body/Knowledge: Feminist Reconstructions of Being and Knowing. (1989).Ed.Alison M. Jaggar and Susan R. Bordo. Harding S. and Hintikka M. (eds) (1983). Discovering Reality: Feminist Perspectives on Epistemology, Metaphysics and Philosophy of Science. Khomyakov A. (1988). About old and new. In Russian. Kollontai A. (1909). Social basis of women's question. In Russian. Lloyd G. (1984). The Man of Reason. The "Male" and "Female" in Western Philosophy. Tolstoy, L. (1987). Collection of works, vol. 11. In Russian. Solovyov V. (1988). Collection of works in two volums.. Moscow. t. 2. In Russian. Solovyov V. (1911). Russia and Universal Chirch. Moscow. In Russian. Voronina O. (1994). The Mythology of Women's Emancipation in the USSR as the Foundation for a Policy of Discrimination. In Women in Russia (ed. by A.Posadskaya ).

Thursday, January 16, 2020

One Good Turn Deserves Another Essay

When someone does you a good deed, you must never forget it. You must look out for the opportunity to do a good deed to that person. If you do not get that opportunity then you must pass on the good deed to someone else. It is quite a strange fact of life, that a good deed done to another always bring some kind of reward to the person who has done the good deed. Hence you must always return good with good. People go throughout their day encountering random acts of kindness in many various ways. Whether it is simply acknowledging someone who walks right past you by saying hello and smiling, or just holding the door open for someone entering behind you, kindness is everywhere. However, there are also certain people who do not openly express their kindness to others. For example, take the driver who suddenly and abruptly cuts you off when changing lanes; even though you would like to tailgate him all the way to his house to make him angry, â€Å"one good turn, deserves another.† Let the driver go, and carry on with your day. In return, the driver may feel sorry for his or her actions and perhaps one day, when you extremely need to craft a massive 5 lane change manoeuvre, someone will let you go. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him has always preached the philosophy â€Å"Always be kind to others† to his Ummah. Once he said, â€Å"He who is deprived of kindness is deprived of goodness.† Even if others may not behave in a benevolent manner towards you, always respond with kindness. A favour in return for a favour That is what any man will do A favour in return for an evil That is what a manly man will do Sometimes, people may be astonished by your response and feel obliged to do the same to others. In addition to it, a touch of satisfaction lies in performing good to others.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Learn About Sudan - Geography, History, and More

Located in northeastern Africa, Sudan is the largest country in Africa. It is also the tenth largest country in the world based on area. Sudan is bordered by nine different countries and it is located along the Red Sea. It has a long history of civil wars as well as political and social instability. Most recently, Sudan has been in the news because South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9, 2011. The elections for secession began on January 9, 2011 and the referendum to secede passed strongly. South Sudan seceded from Sudan because it is mostly Christian and it has been engaged in a civil war with the Muslim north for several decades. Fast Facts: Sudan Official Name: Republic of the SudanCapital: KhartoumPopulation: 43,120,843Â  (2018)Official Languages: Arabic, EnglishCurrency: Sudanese pound (SDG)Form of Government: Presidential republicClimate: Hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)Total Area: 718,720 square miles (1,861,484 square kilometers)Highest Point: Jabal Marrah at 9,981 feet (3,042 meters)Lowest Point: Red Sea at 0 feet (0 meters) History of Sudan Sudan has a long history that begins with its being a collection of small kingdoms until Egypt conquered the area in the early 1800s. At this time, however, Egypt only controlled the northern portions, while the south was made up of independent tribes. In 1881, Muhammad ibn Abdalla, also known as Mahdi, began a crusade to unify western and central Sudan which created the Umma Party. In 1885, Mahdi led a revolt but he died soon after and in 1898, Egypt and Great Britain regained joint control of the area. In 1953, however, Great Britain and Egypt gave Sudan the powers of self-government and put it on a path to independence. On January 1, 1956, Sudan gained full independence. According to the United States Department of State, once it gained independence Sudans leaders began to renege on promises to create a federal system, which began a long period of civil war in the country between the northern and southern areas as the north has long tried to implement Muslim policies and customs. As a result of the long civil wars, Sudans economic and political progress has been slow and a large part of its population has been displaced to neighboring countries over the years. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Sudan underwent several changes in government and suffered from high levels of political instability along with the continuing civil war. Beginning in the early 2000s though, the government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) came up with several agreements that would give South Sudan more autonomy from the rest of the country and put it on a path to becoming independent. In July 2002, steps to end the civil war began with the Machakos Protocol and on November 19, 2004, the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A worked with the United Nations Security Council and signed a declaration for a peace agreement that would be enacted by the end of 2004. On January 9, 2005 the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Government of Sudan Based on the CPA, Sudans government today is called a Government of National Unity. This is a power sharing type of government that exists between the National Congress Party (NCP) and the SPLM/A. The NCP, however, carries most of the power. Sudan also has an executive branch of government with a president and a legislative branch made up of the bicameral National Legislature. This body consists of the Council of States and the National Assembly. Sudans judicial branch is made up of several different high courts. The country is also divided into 25 different states. Economics and Land Use in Sudan Recently, Sudans economy has begun to grow after many years of instability due to its civil war. There are a number of different industries in Sudan today and agriculture also plays a large role in its economy. The main industries of Sudan are oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, and automobile assembly. Its main agricultural products include cotton, peanuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, tapioca, mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame, and livestock. Geography and Climate of Sudan Sudan is a large country with a total land area of 967,500 square miles (2,505,813 sq km). Despite the countrys size, most of Sudans topography is relatively flat with a featureless plain, according to the CIA World Factbook. There are some high mountains in the far south and along the countrys northeast and western areas, however. Sudans highest point, Kinyeti at 10,456 feet (3,187 m), is located on its far southern border with Uganda. In the north, most of Sudans landscape is desert and desertification is a serious issue in nearby areas. The climate of Sudan varies with location. It is tropical in the south and arid in the north. Parts of Sudan also have a rainy season, which varies. Sudans capital Khartoum, which is located in the central part of the country where the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers (both of which are tributaries of the Nile River) meet, has a hot, arid climate. The January average low for that city is 60 degrees (16ËšC) while the June average high is 106 degrees (41ËšC). Sources Central Intelligence Agency. CIA - The World Factbook - Sudan.Infoplease.com. Sudan: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com.United States Department of State. Sudan.