International Conflict Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Conflict Analysis - Essay Example However, since the war ended in 2002, there have been several positive developments like conducting elections and involving the youth. Of course, one has to keep ones’ fingers crossed as earlier attempts at peacemaking have usually resulted in breakdown given the greed and grievance of the warlords and the presence of thousands of brainwashed soldiers ready to do their bidding. The role of the international community is also discussed and some criticism expressed for the way in which their non-intervention caused avoidable suffering and casualties. Given the interplay of the resource argument (the so-called conflict diamonds) with that of a failed state where a â€Å"free for all† was the norm rather than the exception, the peace that the citizens of Sierra Leone are experiencing now is indeed welcome from all aspects. Finally, the conflict in Sierra Leone is also notable for the way in which the post cold war illusions about durable peace and establishment of a new wor ld order were disabused. The end of the cold war produced diametric reactions from intellectuals and foreign policy experts. Whereas writers like Francis Fukuyama were quick to predict the â€Å"End of History† and proclaim that the democratization of the nations of the world would give us the meaning that we have always sought, other writers like Samuel Huntington warned of a coming â€Å"Clash of the Civilizations† where who you were mattered more than what you were or which side you were on (Huntington, 1996, 14). The former is the â€Å"new war† hypothesis that posits the view of how conflicts in the last two decades are about economic reasons and identity whereas the latter is the â€Å"old war† theory about the cold war which was essentially an ideological battle. However, there are many who see the so-called new wars as a continuance of those fought earlier just that the international order does not have the

Strategic Human Resource Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Human Resource Management - Assignment Example The coverage of HRM also extends to a comprehensive approach to the workplace environment and culture, towards enabling the staff of the organization – participate actively and productively, in the overall direction of the organisation and the pursuit towards its goals and objectives. HRM has been shifting from the traditional administrative, personnel and transactional roles, which are often outsourced. The real purpose of HRM in today’s business world is to add value to strategic utilization of staffs, and that staff programs impact on the outcomes of the organization in measurable ways (Nkomo, Fottler & McAfee, 2010, p. 52). This leads to HRM metrics and measurements as well as strategic direction – towards demonstrating value addition. Strategic HRM as housed under the HRM function is designed to aid organizations – to best manage the needs of their employees, while promoting the goals of the company. It focuses around the proactive management of staff s. It involves envisioning and planning ways to meet the needs of the employees effectively – so that they can work towards meeting the needs of the organization in an effective manner. ... In the early 1980s, American Business School professionals published different articles and books in support of HRM concepts and the volatility of the business environment – which present heterogeneity and conflicts (Soderlund & Bredin, 2006, p. 249-251). Due to its many influences and the diverse origins, HRM encompasses central characteristics of importance to organizations: practice, individual, educational theory, industrial relations, practice, social and organizational psychology, and organizational theory (Soderlund & Bredin, 2006, p. 242-265). Till today, there is not any universally accepted definition of HRM and what it covers in every-day business. However, satisfactory definitions define the field as 1) a management responsibility that focuses on managerial functions 2) management philosophy that emphasizes on people treatment and 3) managing the interactions between an organization and its employees (Soderlund & Bredin, 2006). Due to the conflict in the theoretica l notion and the hypothetical discrepancy about the definition, the Mathis and Jackson (2011) defintion will be used for this review – as it better explains and covers major areas of the study. According to Mathis and Jackson (2011), it is the philosophy of managing staff resources, based on the understanding that human resources are vital towards the sustenance of business success. An organization creates competive advantage through using its human resources effectively – drawing on their ingenuity and expertise to meet organizational goals and objectives. The funtion of HRM is focused around the recruitment of flexible, capable and devoted

Money and Life Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money and Life - Movie Review Example She peels back the history of our financial tangle, tells the story of people drowning in debt, reveals our perplexity and presents possibilities for an economy rooted in love and nature... With the old stories and systems falling apart, this film arrives at the perfect moment to help us bless and release the lies weve lived and simply move on†. Also, it is worth noting that in general the film is high quality and aesthetically beautiful work. Although, the basic idea and argumentation in it, to my mind, is rather weak. In her documentary, Kate Teague explores the poignant meaning and â€Å"irresistible† power of money in our life, sources of debts, outlines the distinguishing moments in the history of money, refers to the functioning and organization of the national monetary system, banking activities, sources and nature of economic crisis. Filmmaker offers a fresh view on the economic crisis as an â€Å"opening† and â€Å"opportunity† towards saving oneself from the monetary â€Å"addiction†. Finally, a new perspective on treating money is given. It is believed that money, which, by the way, was â€Å"invented† by people, originally served â€Å"as a medium of exchange in the agreement with the community† and was intended â€Å"to help people realize their interdependence†. Thus, Teague highlights that it is not the people that should serve money, but vice versa – money should be a medium, never a final destination. Kate Teague (2013) calls everyone to rethink the role of money in the life of individual, community, country and planet: â€Å"We need to examine our relationship with money and gain a deeper understanding of our economic pain as individuals, as a country and as people of the earth. To understand the fundamentals of money so we could â€Å"reclaim life from the rule of money† (Teague, 2013). However, as it was mentioned, the main idea of the film is generally vague. For example, the author suggests the way out from â€Å"the rule of money† through

John F. Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton Essay

John F. Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton - Essay Example Perhaps the most popular statement echoing the core principle of American democracy was spoken by Kennedy himself during his inaugural address: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." (Kennedy) First and foremost, what is democracy The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines it to be "direct participation of the members of a society in deciding on the laws and policies of the society or it may involve the participation of those members in selecting representatives to make the decisions" (Christiano). As such, Kennedy's statement was a call for the active participation of the citizenry. Similarly, one of Clinton's most notable and memorable quotes throughout her political career echoes this same sentiment: "Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process." (HillaryClintonQuotes) John F. Kennedy, more commonly known as Jack, was not immediately attracted to a life of politics albeit growing up with a highly political family. In a biography by Robert Dallek, Kennedy had been credited for saying, "I never thought at school or college that I would ever run for office myself. . . . I hadn't considered myself a political type, and [it was my brother that] filled all the requirements for political success." (Dallek 117) The Kennedys were rather well known in the arena of politics, and their heritage of Democrats dates back generations. On the other hand, Hillary Rodham Clinton had always been interested in a life of politics. She proclaims, "I was interested in politics from an early age, and I loved to hone my debating skills with my friends. . . I ran for student council and junior class Vice President. I was also an active Young Republican" (Clinton 21). She had indeed begun her political awareness with the influence of her father who was an extremist Republican, but Clinton had eventually developed her own opinions at Wellesley College as she had participated in many political-flavored events. By graduation, she had become a full-fledged Democrat. Though Kennedy had more opportunity to provide service and leadership to the United States because he was elected President, Clinton likewise had her fair share of responsibility as First Lady. It is apparent from their respective stays in the White House, however, that their styles of governance are of different quality. Kennedy was ultimately very anti-communist, while Clinton had subscribed to certain socialist strategies with regard to capitalism. One of the most apparent differences between Clinton and Kennedy is that the latter was loved by most, while Clinton had always been and remains to be controversial in the eyes of many. She is most remembered and criticized for the demeanor with which she had handled her husband's adulterous affair at the Oval Office and her confrontational, no-nonsense attitude. Her political career has been tainted with rumor and gossip. Conversely, it is only admiration and almost veneration that people feel for Kennedy. While Clinton lacks in charm and appeal, Kennedy is

The Enlightenment Essay Example for Free

The Enlightenment Essay Today we will examine the seven points made about the enlightenment that we have read in this chapter. We will also go over the philosophers who put forth these ideas. What influence can be felt in the present of these ideas? Well in this paper we will find out all of these mind boggling questions. Okay the seven points of enlightenment we will start with first what is enlightenment mean to man? Well it is a mans inability to make use of his understanding. So to answers the first step of enlightenment basically to me means it is someones right to there own authority to subjects and objects. Okay the second step is rationalism and it offers a naturalistic alternative to appeals to religious accounts of human nature and conduct. Now to the enlightenment of movement which means, enlightenment, the movement outwards towards the world and separation is driven by desire, fear, and suffering, movement, which towards to reality which gets to intuition and apperception. That is what I pulled out of the chapter on that step. Okay step four cultural optimism I figured this one to mean that a culture of any would have an optimistic look on it optimistic meaning to look on something with a more favorable side or outcome. Now to step five which is the return to nature I believe that maybe this one means that maybe when people die and the ritual of burying some one means that we are returning to nature. Next step natural rights, well everyone has there rights from the democratic point of view so this must also mean that we have our own natural rights including the right to exist and the rights to make our own choices and such. Step seven last but not least human rights I would believe to include the democratic point of view it is our human right to vote or to fallow the laws and such. These seven steps and the definitions that fallow are my own definitions to these enlightenment steps. The philosophers who put forth these enlightenment steps are the one we have read about in our Sophies world book, Including Locke, Hume, Berkeley. All there ideas views and thoughts were I believe put into effect through these seven steps. What influence can be felt in the present of these ideas? Well I believe they came form the philosophers that I have listed so basically IÂ  answered this question with the one before it. This chapter was fun for me to read because I learned a lot about the enlightenment steps and where they originated from. I just thought that this section of the book was great!

Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Happiness

Relationship Between Spiritual Well-being and Happiness INTRODUCTION This chapter comprises of the summary of the present study, the conclusions drawn after the analysis of the data and the implications of the study. It also includes the limitations of the study along with the suggestions for future research. SUMMARY The purpose of the study was to compare the happiness of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low on spiritual well being. Further, the study also explored whether there were any significant gender differences in happiness as well as spiritual well being. Random sampling method was used to collect the sample. The sample was collected from various post graduate colleges and private companies in the city. First permission was sought from the institutes to conduct the research in their respective campus. Then the questionnaires were administered to the participants. The sample was administered two questionnaires, in order to measure the relevant variables of the study. Spirituality was assessed with the help of the Spiritual Well Being Questionnaire by Ellison Paloutzian (1982). Happiness was measured using the Subjective Happiness Scale by Lyubomirsky Lepper (1999). The sample size was 222. To compare the happiness of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low on spiritual well being, the total sample (N-222) was divided into two groups based on the scored obtained on the Spiritual Well Being Scale by Ellison Paloutzian (1982). Those individuals whose scores lay one SD above the mean (above 104.38) formed the high group whereas those individuals whose scores lay one SD below the mean (below74.84) formed the low group. Thus, the sample consisted of 44 in the high and 37 in the low group (N=81). For studying the gender differences in happiness and spiritual well being, the sample comprised of 112 male and 110 females (N=222). The sample belonged to the middle class of society, from the age range of 21 to 30 years of age. It included unmarried individuals of different religious groups (Hindus, Muslims, Christians). It included students as well as working professionals residing in Pune city. The minimum educational qualification of the sample was twelfth grade. SPSS software was used for the purpose of analyzing the obtained data. The independent samples T Test was employed to compare the groups on happiness and spiritual well being. Based on the review of relevant literature, the hypotheses of the present study were formulated as: Individuals who score high on spiritual well being will be significantly happier as compared to individuals who score low on spiritual well being. There will be no significant difference in happiness among males and females. Women will score significantly higher on spiritual well being than males. CONCLUSIONS The findings from the present study can be concluded as follows: It was found that there was a significant difference in happiness between individuals who scored high on spiritual well being as compared to individuals who scored low. The mean score of the high group was significantly higher on the variable of happiness as compared to the mean score of the low group. Therefore it can be concluded that individuals who score high on spiritual well being were happier as compared to individuals who score low on spiritual well being. Gender differences were observed on happiness. It was found that there was a significant difference in happiness between males and females, with females scoring significantly higher on happiness in comparison with males. Hence, it can be concluded that women are happier in comparison with men. No gender differences were observed on the variable of spiritual well being. It was found that there was no significant difference in spiritual well being between males and females. Even though the mean score for women was higher, the difference was not significant. Thus, it can be concluded that there are no significant gender differences on spiritual well being. IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY It was found from the present study that individuals high on spiritual well being were happier in comparison individuals low on spiritual well being and no gender differences were seen in spiritual well being. It was also found that women were happier than men. The study of gender differences is essential in understanding how different genders respond to different situations. Spirituality can be used in counseling and therapeutic settings as a coping mechanism to enhance mental health. Furthermore, the findings of the study have implications in the medical field, where people with life threatening diseases can be taught to cope using spiritual practices and techniques. The findings also can be used to create awareness and psycho-educating people about the benefits of spirituality. Since spiritual well being is related with greater happiness, people can use spiritual techniques to improve their well being. LIMITATIONS One important limitation in the comparison of individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and individuals scoring low, was that gender was not controlled. There were more women (25) in the high group as compared to men (19). On the other hand there were more male in the low group (22) than females (15). Lee, Seacombe Shehan in 1991 found that women were more likely to report themselves as happy compared to men (Diener et al, 1999). Gender may have had an influence on the dependent variable, happiness. Another limitation of the study was that the sample size, for comparing happiness of individuals scoring high and low on spiritual well being, was small. Hence it is difficult to make sweeping generalizations. The religious affiliation of the sample was not controlled. The sample consisted of individuals belonging to different religions such as Hindu’s, Muslims and Christians. However, the three religious groups were not equally represented. Thus, this becomes a limitation as religion may play a role in an individual’s spiritual well being and happiness. Further, other religious groups were not included which also is a limitation. The age range of the sample was 21 to 30 years. Hence, the results may not applicable to other age groups. The sample included individuals belonging to the middle strata of society living in an urban area in Pune city. Thus, individuals from the lower and upper class of society as well as those residing in rural areas were not considered which becomes a limitation as results may not valid for these groups. Since self report inventories were used for obtaining the relevant data, social desirability and faking could not be controlled. This also becomes a limitation of the study. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH In the present study gender was not controlled while comparing individuals scoring high on spiritual well being and those scoring low on spiritual well being. Some research studies indicate that women are happier than men (Blanchflower and Oswald 2004; Frey and Stutzer 2002; Praag and Ferrer-i-Carbonell 2008 cited in Tiefenbach and Kohlbacher,2013) whereas others suggest that men are the happier sex (Stevenson Wolfers, 2009 cited in Compton Hoffman, 2011). Hence it is recommended to take equal number of males and females in order to get a better understanding of the relationship between spirituality and happiness. Further, it is suggested to consider the religious affiliations of the participants by taking equal number of individuals from each religious group (Cohen, 2002). Also, religious minorities can be included to increase generalizability. Future research can also study different age groups such as middle aged adults and geriatric population. Research has shown that happiness decreases from youth to middle age and then increases from middle age to old age (Blanchflower Oswald, 2008 cited in Carr, 2011). Thus, different age group can be compared on spirituality and happiness. Further research can delve into various other factors such as socioeconomic status, geographical location, marital status, family structure and study its relationship with spirituality and happiness so as to understand if these factors mediate the relationship between the two variables.

Loose Tight Dimensions Of Hrm Commerce Essay

Loose Tight Dimensions Of Hrm Commerce Essay HRM is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations and most valued assets of the organization. In general term used to describe a variety of functions aimed at effectively managing an organizations employees or human resources. HRM is professionals oversee the people side of an organization including benefits, career development, training, hiring, and many other functions. The goal of HRM is to assist organizations to meet their strategic goals by attracting and retaining qualified employees, and managing them effectively while ensuring that the organization complies with all appropriate labor laws. HRM meet the need of business and management, to gain commitment of employees to add value to the business. Dimensions of HRM Approach HRM Focus Hard Treats employees simply as a resource of the business (like machinery). Strong link with corporate business planning what resources need, how to get them and how much will they cost. Identify workforce needs of the business and recruit manage accordingly. Their focus on organizational prospective Soft Treats employees as the most important resource in the business and a source of competitive advantage. Employees are treated as individuals and their needs are planned accordingly. Concentrate on the needs of employees their roles, rewards, motivation etc. Soft HRM focus on interests of the employees. Table Guest model of hard-soft dimensions of HRM HR polices can be categorized as two, tight and loose the different between a system based on compliance and system based on commitment. Compliance; they work because they have to do, for fear of some negative consequence, example; losing their job. Commitment; doing something, one believes that one is doing right thing to do. HRM and personal /IR compared to 27 dimension of storys Story has established a theoretical model based on perception of how organizations have evolved from major personnel and IR practices to HRM practices. This model is based on ideal types and also story emphasizes 27 dimensions of difference between personnel and IR against HRM. It describes four elements, which differentiate HRM such as beliefs and assumptions, strategic aspects, line Management and key levers. C:UsershpDesktopPicture1.jpg Table 27 Dimensions of Storys compared to HRM and personnel/ IR practices Briefly explaining some of 27 dimensions of storys Speed of decision; in personal approach the speed of decision is very slow because they are decision making process is long, they have depend on top level managers decision and some time decision depend upon their subordinates. But in HRM approach the speed of decision is fast, line manager can make decision on time and act on it. Job design; personal approach jobs are design according to their specific task so the employees will be specialist in their field, most of the time they have along and do their task. But in HRM approach they are job designing based on teamwork so employees can shear their ideas and get better solution for problems or task. Communication; personal approach employees cant directly communicate top level employees there will be intermediates or middleman to convey massage. In HRM approach employees can directly communicate to line manager or top level manager so they can talk about their problems or discuss their task with managers. Management role; personal approach management role will be transactional leadership were they known to establish performance specifications and make sure they are accomplished by a given deadline, limit the contentment of employees and create a low amount of employee commitment. In HRM approach transformational leadership as the ability of a leader to motivate employees to surpass their own individual aspirations for the greater good of the organization. Transformational leaders are morally responsible manager who focuses on developing the moral maturity, values, and standards of his or her subordinates and strengthening their devotion to serve the well-being of others, their organization, and society beyond self-interest (Burns, J.1978). Role of the line managers and employees of the organization Line managers are crucial man to the success of HR policies and practices. The respective roles of HR, line management discussion are taken by line manager. Line manager is the person who is authorized to direct the work of subordinates and is responsible for accomplishing the organizations tasks. Responsibility of line managers typically include; Place the right person on the right job Orientate new employees and train employees Improve the job performance of each person Gain creative cooperation and developing smooth working relationships Interpret the companys policies and procedures Controlling labor costs Develop the abilities of each employees Creating and maintain department morale Protect employees health and physical condition Role of the line manager Employee are most powerful aspect of the company, they have different levels of responsible for managing one or more business aspects. In their various roles, employees have the responsibility to manage those processes that they are assigned to. For example, employees working in the financial department are responsible for managing the financials of the company. But top level managers are responsible for managing the decision making processes and overseeing business operations for the best interest of the business. The responsibilities of employees are, Deal with customers Responsible for day-to-days operation of the company Interact relevant managers Involve in planning process Minimize cost and etc. Role of the Employees Section B (Answers for Statements) There are potential benefits for both the individual and the organization from using a proper performance management system Performance management systems is a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure it is achieved. The aim of performance management systems is to improve individuals performance and consequently organizational performance to achieve organizational goals. Such system can play a crucial role in managing the performance in an organization by: Increase profits; by increasing employee productivity and quality of work. Equitable treatment of employees; All employees are treated fairly by implementing. Increase employee responsibility; Communicating realistic but challenging job expectations and making employee accountable for their decisions and actions result in noticeable improvements in employee tardiness, absences and organizational commitment. As a HR manager, you need to manage different human resource practices in the workplace Yes as a HR manager he needs to manage different human resource practices in the workplace. HR practices on workplace trust, job satisfaction, commitment, effort and perceived organizational performance. According to Julian Gould-Williams postal survey of UK local government employees, the results support the hypothesis that HR practices are powerful predictors of trust and organizational performance. These findings demonstrate the need for organizations to re-evaluate their current HR practices in an attempt to improve overall performance of organization (Julian Gould-Williams, 2003). This mean HR manager needs to manage various HR practices improve overall performance of employees and organization. There is greater impact of globalization on issues such as human resource planning Yes i agree this statement there is an impact of globalization on issues such as human resource planning. Globalization is which requires organizations to move people, idea, products and information around the world to meet local needs. The main responsibilities is transforming as the modern business faces pressure of globalization. The pressure on traditional HR models taking place can be traced to globalization. The increasing prevalence of globalization is driven by a number of factors, including shortage of talent in developed countries, availability of low cost labor and technological progress. Different national cultures and practices make an influence for making a culturally diverse workforce Culture may be defined as the values, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people. A group may be identified by many criteria such as nationality, religion geography or language. Although nationality may encompass several cultures it is the most commonly used notion of culture. Culture plays a significant role in workplace assumptions, behavior and organizational cultures. Cultural diversity within workforce is now the norm as well as an economic necessity. Spurred on by globalization and increased personal mobility, the need for skilled immigrants to fulfill labor shortages has brought many changes to the workplace. In 2005, Forfà ¡s estimated that, in addition to indigenous skilled workers, Ireland would require up to 30,000 skilled immigrants per annum to fulfill their labor shortages over the next decade (Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, 2005). The rapid shift from a predominantly indigenous and homogenous workforce to a culturally diverse one brings challenges and opportunities for organizations. Challenges can be broad ranging from basic communications and language difficulties to complexities in decision-making processes and team management. However, international experience shows that managing cultural diversity in an effective way enables organizations not only overcome such challenges but also to fully exploit the opportunities of cultur al synergy to strategic advantage. Cultural differences remain persistent and present an array of challenges for companies. Firms that manage adaptation effectively are able to achieve congruence in the various cultures where they operate while extending their main sources of advantage across borders, and in some cases even making cultural diversity itself a source of advantage. While this has emphasized cultural differences, which are often underappreciated, its equally important to take note of cultural similarities. High and low power distance cultures, for example, both reflect responses to common challenges around how human beings should properly interact with each other in the face of inevitable differences in the power they hold in particular contexts. Different national, cultural practice influence managing the workforce and understanding of national culture to make better decisions. The basic way is that improving the alignment or congruence between management practices and cultural contexts; Participative management can improve profitability in low power distance cultures but worsen it in high power distance cultures Quick fixes can improve profitability in more short-term oriented cultures but worsen it in more long term oriented cultures Merit-based pay and promotion policies can improve profitability in more masculine cultures and reduce it in more feminine cultures Emphasizing individual contributions can improve profitability in more individualistic cultures and worsen it in more collectivistic cultures The above highlighted key points that can help align business practices to national culture. It often makes sense to structure such analyses around the intersection of specific dimensions of cultural distance and business functions or workforce in order to arrive at a meaningful level of specificity. Task 02 Section A (Answers for Case study) Explain the Audit Firms model of flexibility According to Audit Commission they use mainly three types of flexibility such as numerical flexibility, functional flexibility and place-of-work flexibility. Numerical flexibility; the Audit Commission is always faced with peaks and mangers in the workload. Those situations they increasing or reducing staff to adjust the quantity of labour to meet fluctuations in demand. In Functional flexibility; the Audit Commission developed flexibility by developing skills of its staffs to deal any work. So the nature work changes, employees are easy handle different tasks. Place-of-work flexibility; the Audit Commission uses this way to respond to the challenges within their business environment. This method of working has helped it to meet more closely the needs of its staff. As part of its flexible working arrangements, homeworking has helped to transform the ways in which many people work and improve their work-life-balance. Briefly explain the need for flexibility The need for flexibility is increase due to demographic and social changes the number of people in the paid workforce with caring responsibilities is set to increase. Moreover, increasing competition has placed emphasis on quality, innovation and reducing the unit cost of production job design and the organization of work must both mobilize employees energies for quality innovation and reliable productivity. To having a flexibility policy however isnt enough to satisfy the need of firm to be considered best practice. Flexible workplace can also boost retention, productivity and innovation. According to the given case study the firm is implementing the correct types of flexibility to their employees. The firms believes that its ability to deal effectively with the need for flexibility strengthens its position as an employer of choice and enables the group to deliver levels of service that differentiate from its competitors. Evaluate the advantages and dis advantages of flexible working practices Advantages Disadvantages Less stress Flexible work arrangements are not always appropriate for all people Employers have great freedom to organize their work to finish on time. Some time employees have to take their own time to finish work Homeworking helps an organization to develop family-friendly policies that improve the work-life balance of its staff especially in Audit Commission. Employees have to spend extra time to do work if they do homeworking and unequal pay and benefits Choice of working patterns More and more legislation is being brought forward to enable employees to request flexible working but this legislation is not always necessary, sometimes it just creates an unnecessary administrative burden. Less absence and staff turnover Difficulty of retentive staff development Improves more productivity and efficiency For certain jobs working from home is inappropriate Increased feeling of personal control over schedule and working environment Negative impact on staff productivity and camaraderie. Less training opportunities Table Evaluate the advantages and dis advantages of flexible working practices Section B (Essay) Equal opportunities within the workplace Equal opportunity within the workplace is all about providing a fair workplace and fair procedures for employees. In today most of the companies giving several equal opportunities to their employees but some organization doesnt have equal opportunities. It is recognized that in order to achieve equal opportunity for all, the Force must recognize and address the diverse needs of staff and will ensure that due consideration is given to the impact of all employment activates on staff and make appropriate adjustments to ensure equality of opportunity. Discriminating employees by looking their gender identity, nationality, race, colour, ethnic origin, age, disability, marital or family status, religion or religious beliefs, or any other such thins which rise to unfair or unjustified discriminatory behavior or processes is forms of discrimination. The legislative frameworks of discrimination are direct discrimination and indirect discrimination. Direct discrimination is treating one person less favorably than another in the same or similar situations, or dividing them from others solely because they have for example a disability or illness. Refusing to employ someone who has the required skills because they are, for example deaf, over a certain age or pregnant would constitute such discrimination. Indirect discrimination happens when there is a provision or practice which applies equally to everyone which, in practice, has an adverse impact on a particular group and cannot be justified. For example an unnecessary physical or age requirement can discriminate against women or disabled people. There are several acts against discrimination in work place. Sex discrimination act (SDA) (1975 AND 1986), The SDA makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person, directly or indirectly on grounds of sex and or marriage, in employment or in the provision of goods, facilities or services. Direct sex discrimination occurs when a person of one sex is treated less favorably, on the grounds of sex, than a person of the other sex would be treated in the same or not materially different circumstances. Indirect sex discrimination occurs where a requirement or condition is applied equally to both women and men, but a proportion of one sex which can comply with it is much smaller than the proportion of the other sex which can comply. Discrimination and equal opportunity policy (Maplecroft, 2010) the aim of this policy is to ensure that the entity has activities in place to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunity within the workplace, enriching the diversity, rights and morale of employees and enhancing the organizations relations and reputation. Equal opportunities basically focuses on management activity by recruiting results it benefits for employees to improve opportunities for disadvantaged employees. Likewise, management diversity focuses on management activity by managing results to benefit for employees to improved opportunities for all managers. At the end if an employees believe that they are treated more fairly and reasonably, the word of mouth will spread that company genuinely and it recruits and promoted on merit and it meet its equal opportunity responsibilities. By doing this company can gain competitive advantage. Moreover, on evaluating the above points it is clear that legislation can be a favor for both the parties such as employee and employer if they are followed legally and practiced inside the organization but however because of many reasons these are not followed in certain areas and organization and the framework is still not followed. By analyzing Current thinking about how diversity works in practice in organizations is developing all the time. Whether you believe diversity should complement or supplement equal opportunities, building these approaches into your volunteering recruitment and development practices will bring benefits, not only to the volunteers themselves, as well as to the organization. Ther efore, everyone is treated equally, ensuring staff are judged on their merits or qualifications. This in turn makes for a happier workplace and provides a sense of trust in the organization. It leads to good staff morale, encourages more objective appointments, and can provide diversity in the workplace.