Cathay Pacific: Best Practices of Corporate Governance

          There are two factors that define the Cathay Pacific today: excellent reputation for service and historically profitable operation. The company also remarked that despite the economic conditions, Cathay Pacific remains hopeful since it is committed to maintaining a high standard of corporate governance as well as its capable and committed workforce and management team and a superb international network centered on Asia’s premier aviation hub. With this said, the company can devote its ample time in considering efforts to identify and formalise best practices of corporate governance to trickle down to its employees. In this way, the company can retain the workforce while also upholding their value and at the same time tap on the continuity and spontaneity of servicing.

            By virtue of the REDS2 process, the communicated and conceived identities provide a snapshot of the present of Cathay Pacific. However, these two identities are misaligned. Because of its effort to merge its Asian hospitality with that of other airlines services hence could be confusing and contradicting basically because not all the members of oneworld are Asian airlines. The other nine members of the global alliance are: American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malev Hungarian, LAN, Royal Jordanian and Qantas Airways. As such, what will set Cathay Pacific’s origin if it means to mingle with other services of airline companies, not to mention that some of these services would be and are already Americanised in a way. There will be no single unifying concept of service for Cathay Pacific therefore.

            Nonetheless, the ideal and the desired identities are basically pointing to the future positions of Cathay Pacific. There is the opportunity therefore to rethink strategically on how the acquisition of Dragonair, which basically aimed at strengthening the Asia Pacific region hub, will contribute in uplifting the philosophy of Asian hospitality while also developing Hong Kong as a global transportation hub (HKTDC, 2000). Cathay Pacific would be able to capitalise on outbound passenger traffic and its increase in the coming years. In the long run therefore, Cathay Pacific can only maximise the opportunities provided by the access to Mainland China and extend the operation into cities that Dragonair operates. Because China is advantageously linked to most of the nations, the Asian hospitality could be also extended to the Western nations.

 

            However, this would not be possible if Cathay Pacific will not be able to establish the need to market Asian hospitality outside Asia and through China. There is the need therefore to extend the Asian hospitality approach not just to oneworld alliance members but also to the rest of the travelling communities worldwide. Since the Asian hospitality approach is at the heart of Cathay Pacific’s operation, this could be mass campaigned starting inside the Cathay Pacific itself. 

How can risk present both opportunities and threats to projects?

Risk on projects can provide many outcomes. It s either positive or negative, that’s why risk management is implemented to create a better understanding about the unknown events that might usually come along the way. Defining risk and assuming that it will happen, can provide awareness to each and everyone in the group and that possible solution to it may be implemented on time. Risks are said to be a threat if it only suggests negativity to the project. Threats usually decline the growth of the project which is the common fear anticipated by any one. That’s why they provide more attention focusing more on handling threats. It is more likely that the “threats” are more dominant rather than “opportunities”. On the other hand, risks are considered opportunity if it provides a positive output. Sometimes opportunities in project are taken for granted because of considering the treats a more serious problem than it. However, there should be a proper identification of both to prevent a more complicated situation that might occur instead of lessening the problems that could possibly happen.

Hong Kong Taxation

Hong Kong Taxation

 

Answer Q1:

            Hong Kong being considered as a free economy can be considered to have extreme low tax imposed on both individuals and in business. In the case provided, it has been mentioned that Lisa is a Hong Kong resident but has been appointed as a senior sales Manager of a Spanish company. The company is currently operating in Hong Kong so Lisa is in charge for their Chinese operations.   It can be noted that Lisa’s salary was given under HK$ currency. In this regard, since the company is currently operating in Hong Kong, the company has an obligation to Hong Kong government and economy and all of their employees.  In Hong Kong, there is so called tax equalization policy in which Lisa can pay no more and no less tax for her work for the company.

            Such policy has been designed for employees like Lisa as a neutral aspect in her compensation package. In which, she should bear tax burden equal to that which would have been borne had Lisa remained at home. As an employee, she is responsible during her assignment in the Spanish company for stay at home or hypothetical tax, which would be computed on the remuneration the employee would have earned and obtained if she continued to work in the Spanish company. In this regard, the tax can be withheld from the employee’ normal salary and is retained by her Spanish employer as a tax reserve.   In this regard, under Hong Kong taxation policy, the company where Lisa is working would be responsible for paying all required home as well as host country taxes on the company income, which consists of taxes on expatriate benefits during the assignment or work contract.   For various companies, employees like Lisa would not be tax equalized on income from non-company sources, like the investment income from the host country or from home, which indicated that the employee will remain fully liable for all actual global taxes payable on their personal income.  Under the equalization policy of Hong Kong taxation regulation, any tax savings will go to the employer, however, any additional tax liability will be shouldered by Lisa’s employer.

            On one hand, the employer of Lisa can also implement a tax protection policy instead of abiding the tax equalization policy.  Under this approach, Lisa’s total income tax burden for Hong Kong and Spanish taxation policy is limited or restricted to the hypothetical home country’s income tax, or Hong Kong’s income tax. In instances that the actual home and host nations’ income tax are less than the Home country’s hypothetical income tax, like in this case, if Spanish income tax is less than Hong Kong’s income tax, the employee (Lisa) could keep the benefit.

            Based on this case, Hong Kong taxation policy is able to provide equality on tax for employees, like in the case of Lisa, she should not worry too much on her tax on Hong Kong, because Hong Kong have been able to set up a taxation policy that can easily be shouldered by both the employee and the employer.

 

 

Answer Q2

            In Hong Kong, issues of job descriptions when it comes to payment of tax do not have differences. Accordingly, employees in Hong Kong are considered as individual taxpayers who receive an income from an office or employment, regardless of whether the owner of the company is a Hong Kong resident or not, like in this case, Lisa is working for Spanish Company.  Hong Kong employees are being charged with salaries tax by filing up the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). Like any other employees in Hong Kong, Lisa should pay salaries tax on her income even if she is a sales manager or sales director. The computation for this may vary, depending on how much Lisa is receiving as a sales director or sales manager from her Spanish company.  Lisa must receive a tax return from IRD and she must complete and submit it before or during the due date even if she has no income which can be charged to salaries tax. 

            In order to compute the value of her tax, Lisa should need to report her income on the tax returns which are the B.I.R. 60 for individuals. Accordingly, any salary, wages as an employee or manager or even her director’s fees that she earn are still chargeable with salaries tax. In addition, the gross amounts prior to the deduction of her contributions to a recognized occupational retirement system or mandatory provident fund scheme should also be included on her report.

            In this regard, even if Lisa is working under Spanish company, all the payment that she received from her employer are taxable, regardless of when the payment occurred and whether the amount paid was in line with the terms of employment or in excess of which.

 

 

Cathay Pacific Airways Conceived Identity

              From its corporate image, the people are the key in providing ‘Asian hospitality on the ground and in the air’ hence recognising a great opportunity to introduce the people behind winning the Best Airline in the World award, as voted by the 16.2 million airline passengers (Cathay Pacific blog and video).  As such, the latest marketing campaign is centered on the people and the services because passengers consistently relay the message that it is the Cathay Pacific’s people and the service that they deliver combined with the value that the company offers set them apart from their competitors. The service is renowned because of the people who are always willing to go the extra mile to make the passenger feel special (Chaisung and Apphathornkul, 2009). The people use their training and intuition to provide all those little things that passengers may want even before they start asking for them so passengers can enjoy an exceptional travel experience.   

Thesis Chapter 5: Business Social Responsibility: Altruism or Good Business?

 

CHAPTER 5

 

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

 

The focus of this study is to determine the significant endeavor in promoting small businesses by exposing the biases towards large-scale corporations in terms of social responsibility. Data collected from the different sets of respondents provided answers to the queries of the researcher. It has utilized the descriptive type of research, which was conducted through observation and using survey questionnaires as tools for measurement. Concurrently, the study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods to ensure a flexible and iterative approach. During data gathering the choice and design of methods are constantly modified, based on ongoing analysis. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions as they arise, and allows the investigators to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan. The researcher also uses percentage analysis, the mean and median analysis, correlation and regression statistic to evaluate the collated data.

A number of small business practitioners, workers and consumers was surveyed and interviewed as to the realm of this study. They are sent questionnaires pertaining to the topic. Their cooperation was fervently sought after. A descriptive analysis (with strictest confidence given to financial aspect) of its organization was undertaken, form the organizational structure down the most intricate detail permitted. The object is to find out the exact nature of small business social responsibility and its impact on the community and the business itself.

 

SUMMARY

Part 1. Profile of the respondents

 

The researcher conducted the study in order to determine the views of the respondents about social responsibility. Moreover, the researcher also provide a general description of the respondents, which are divided into four categories i.e. business owners, employees, minority owned and white male owned particularly in their sexual category or gender, race and educational attainment.

The population of business owner respondents is composed of 58% male respondents and 42% female respondents. This shows a virtually equal footing in terms of representation of gender regarding to the subject of the study. 65% of the 23 employees respondents are dominated male. Only 35% of it are comprises of female employees. The male respondents outnumber the female respondents by approximately 50%; this data provides a glimpse of the aggregate size of women in the workforce of the company. According to the study, 100% of population of minority owned group is composed of female respondents while 100% of white owned group are male. This shows a virtually equal footing in terms of representation of gender regarding the social responsibility in the job.

            The number of the male respondents (62%) is double that of the female (38%) with the total of 79 for male and 48 for female. The dominated gender among the respondents is male. Based on the statistical analysis, almost three-fourths of the population is composed of male respondents while 38% are females. The race of the race of the respondents, are divided into several groups i.e. White, Black, Latino and Asian. The study shows the great dominance of the White respondents in terms of their connection to business. Based on the collated responses, 98% of the respondents are white races.

            The diversity of the population is further asserted when the respondents were asked regarding their range of gross annual income. Apparently, a huge part of the population (28.40%) has been in the range of $201,000-$300,000. This data illustrate average income of the business owners thus the responses of the employee pertaining to this matter has been excluded. There are only 22.22% of the respondents are earning above $500,000. According to the survey, the total number of employees in the business doesn’t have any effect when it comes to their vision in social relation. As a summary, 27% of the respondents said that they have three-five employees, 28% for five-ten, 13% for ten-fifteen, 8% for fifteen-twenty, 13% for twenty above and 11% for one-two employees. 57.14% of the respondents say that service business is easiest type of business to have a great income. 29.79% of the respondents are involved in the retail business. Lastly, only 16.07% of the respondents are in manufacturing business since the capital for this kind of business is quite big. 

 

Part 2. Perception of the Respondents

            According to the most business owners, there is no difference in social relation of small compared to big business. 52.63% of the business owner respondents believe that there is no difference in social relation whether they owned a big or small business. They also accept that small businesses fulfill their social relation because they only have limited area to manage. The 81.58% of the respondents agreed on this statement. Based on the results, most of the business owners believe that the most important factor in terms of social relation is their relationship to the costumer or costumer relation i.e. the mean score is 9.74. Followed by ethics (9.71), product quality (9.62) and equal opportunity (9.27) among the employees.

            On the other hand, big businesses cannot fulfill their social relation because of the broader area to control according to the 36.84% of the respondents according to the employees.  Most of the employees (52.63%) agreed that their company doesn’t have a formal policy. For the turnover rate, most of the employees said that the rate is not that high. The table shows that 55.26% of the employee respondents believe that there is no high turnover rate for the past year and 44.74% of them believe that there is no high turnover rate for the past 5 years.

The researcher also tries to understand and determine the perception of the minority owners and white male owners regarding to their views about social relations. According to the minority owners, they accept that small businesses fulfill their social relation because they only have limited area to manage. The 50.00% of the minority owner respondents agreed on this statement. On the other hand, big businesses cannot fulfill their social relation because of the broader area to control according to the 39.47% of the respondents.  Most of the minority (55.26%) agreed that their company doesn’t have a formal policy. Based on the results, most of the white male owners believe that the most important factor in terms of social relation is their relationship to the costumer or costumer relation i.e. the mean score is 9.39. Followed by product quality (9.31) and ethics (9.27).

 

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concludes the following:

1.  The respondents who took part in this study are already mature in age, responsible and reliable.  They are also aware of what’s happening in the business industry and are deeply concerned about the improvement of the programs in their respective companies specifically to the concept of social relation.

2.   The respondents have given an overall rating of greatest importance to each of the criteria. Most of the respondents believe that the social relation in big businesses is not different from small businesses. On the other hand, most of the employees believe that there is a great difference between them. This shows that they have different perceptions with the current state of social responsibility in their company.

3.  The statistics show that there is substantial correlation between the answers of employee and employer in part 1 or to the six yes-no questions about social responsibility. The computed correlation or r-value is –0.4097 which mean that there is substantial correlation. The analysis also signifies that the answers of employers are different to the answers of the employee although their r-value lies between 0.41-0.50 for both positive and negative.

            On the other hand, the part two of the survey questionnaire shows a high relationship between variables. The computed r-value is 0.8922. The main concern of the employers pertaining to social relation is fair wages. On the other hand, both of the employee and employers agreed that costumer relation is the most important attribute to consider. Even though there are some variables in which the responses of the employers and employees are different, the overall perception is same which reflected to the computed r-value.

            4.  There is a need for small businesses to assume social responsibility since the degree of responses of the respondents is in great importance.

  RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the foregoing summary of findings and conclusion, the researcher recommends the following:

1.     Update the facilities, equipment, and training strategies to their respective Companies.  Moreover, there should be a strict implementation of the training programs pertaining social responsibility of the company.

2.     Maintain open communication lines between the management, costumers, administration and employee.

3.     Review the program of the each of the company and update the content to increase the standard of the company and the need of a good social responsibility.  Employee must also be given stricter training requirements to ensure that they understand their job well and understand the needs of the costumers . 

4.     Company open communication lines between employees and administrators especially in disseminating information and communication.  This is to ensure that the employees know what the administration is up to and vice-versa.

 

 

The aggressive growth strategy of Hewlett Packard

Introduction

            Globalization has opened doors of opportunities for companies and organizations to explore markets beyond their home countries. Because of globalization and increase in mobility, these companies are able to enter new markets and to offer their products and services to new customers. This paper focuses on a multinational company and its performance management strategy concerning expatriates or international assignees. This paper discusses the different challenges and problems in managing the performance of international assignees, analyzing the different areas in international performance management. Recommendations to make international performance management more effective are also presented.

            In order to start the discussion and to provide a foundation for the paper let us briefly discuss international human resource management (IHRM). International Human Resource Management is the process of procuring, allocating and affectively utilizing human resources in a multinational corporation.  HMM managers in multinational corporations need to achieve two somewhat conflicting goals. First, they must integrate HRM policies and practices across a number of subsidiaries in different countries so that overall corporate objectives can be achieved. At the same time, the approach to HRM must be sufficiently flexible to allow for significant differences in the types of HRM policies and practices that are most effective in different business and cultural settings ( 2002).

            Compared to domestic HRM, IHRM requires a much extensive perspective on even the most common HRM activities. IHRM personnel must deal with issues such as international taxation; international relocation and orientation; various other administrative services for expatriates; selecting, training and appraising local and international employees; and managing host-government relations. In the subsidiary level, the HRM personnel are more involved in the employees’ personal lives ( 2008). Subsidiary HRM personnel often arrange housing, health care, transportation, education, and recreational activities for both expatriate and local employees. IHRM activities are also affected by more external forces than are domestic HRM activities. Subsidiary HRM personnel may have to deal with government ministers, other political figures, and a greater variety of social and economic interest groups than would normally encountered in purely domestic HRM ( 2002).

 

The International Assignee

            For the purpose of this report, we will call an international assignee an expatriate. An expatriate is defined as citizens of the country of the headquarters of the multinational firm and employed by the firm in the country of its headquarters that is transferred or assigned to another country, to work in a foreign subsidiary or other type of operation of the multinational firm for more than one year (2004).

            The expatriate or international assignee needs to develop and use the competencies necessary for any managerial assignment. But in addition to these capabilities, they must also develop the following:

• Ability to manage an international business and all the complexities that it entails
• Ability to manage a workforce with cultural and subcultural differences
• Ability to plan for, and conceptualize, the dynamic of a complex, multinational environment
• Being more open-minded about alternative methods for solving problems
• Being more flexible in dealing with people and systems
• Understanding and managing the interdependencies among the firm’s domestic and foreign operations (2004)

 

 

International Performance Management

            Performance management is defined as the integration of performance appraisal systems with broader HRM systems as a means of aligning employee’s work behaviors with the organizations goals. Thus, a performance management system consists of the processes used to identify, encourage, measure, evaluate, improve, and reward employee performance at work (2002). Performance management helps organizations sustain or improve performance, promote greater consistency in performance evaluation, and provide high-quality feedback. Performance management helps organizations link evaluations to employee development and to a merit-based compensation plan. Moreover, it form a basis for coaching and counseling, permits individual input during the evaluation process, and allows for a blend of qualitative and quantitative expectations of job demands and factors that reveal how well the job is done ( 2000).

            In the international level performance management entails more challenges. Basically, international performance is employed to monitor performance and ensure conformance to agreed standards. International performance management is the process that enables multinational companies to evaluate, and continuously improve individual and corporate performance against preset goals and targets (2005).

 

Effective Performance Management for Expatriates

            International performance management is a designed, implemented and evaluated intervention of a multinational company for the purpose of managing performance of its global workforce so that performance (at the individual, team, and organizational level) contributes to the attainment of strategic objectives and results in overall multinational company desired performance.

            Organizations develop performance management systems for a number of reasons, but primarily for evaluation and development. These purposes are much the same for domestic and international operations. The major difference is that implementation of these goals is much more difficult in the global arena. An effective international performance management achieves the following goals:

Evaluating Goals

• To provide feedback to managers so they will know where they stand
• To develop valid data for pay, promotion, and job assignment decisions, and to provide a means of communicating these decisions
• To help management in making discharge and retention decisions and to provide a means of warning employees about unsatisfactory performance

 

Development Goals

• To help managers improve their performance and develop future potential
• To develop commitment to the company through discussion of career opportunities and career planning with the manager
• To diagnose individual and organizational problems
• To identify individual training and development needs

 

Company Background

            Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span from IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing for consumers, enterprises and small and medium businesses.

The HP Way

            The HP values, written by David Packard in 1989 are the centerpiece of the Hewlett-Packard Way. The HP values are not uniquely different from most large companies. What sets the HP values and the HP way apart is the seriousness with which values are treated as management tool. The central element in all activities in Hewlett Packard is the ‘HP Way’, a set of beliefs, objectives and guiding principles, and described by Bill Hewlett as the policies and actions that flow from the belief that men and women want to do a good job, a creative job, and that if they are provided with the proper environment they will do so. It is the tradition of treating every individual with respect and recognizing personal achievements ( 1982 cited in  2001). The HP Way is probably best illustrated from a number of words and concepts. These are love of the product, love of the customer, innovation, quality, open communication, commitment to people, trust, confidence, informality, teamwork, sharing, openness, autonomy, responsibility (2001).

The HP Way at Subsidiary Level

            The aggressive growth strategy of Hewlett Packard has led to its entrance to different markets around the world. As a market entry mode, the company used subsidiaries. The values of the HP Way is transferred to these subsidiaries. The HP Way serves as general guideline or ethic for working at HP to ensure that foreign work processes can be adapted into the HP subsidiaries while maintaining the HP Way.

Performance Appraisal at Hewlett Packard

            The activities of HP employees were guided by a comprehensive system of management by objectives (MBO). It began with the establishment of long- and short-range objectives derived from company and group objectives. At each company level, overall objectives were communicated and subunit objectives were negotiated. Objectives were goals and provided much freedom in how the goals would be accomplished. The goals were made to interconnect horizontally and vertically throughout HP. The entire MBO process was part of annual tactical and strategic planning that defined a job’s objective and major responsibilities and performance measures. Although MBO was initiated from the top, the accustomed nature of the MBO planning cycle provided ample opportunity for individual initiative and influence in setting overall objectives. Employees were expected to suggest ways they could help attain the unit’s goals in order to create individual accountability

            In an MBO system an employee meets with his or her manager, and they collectively set goals for the employer for a coming period of time. These goals are usually quantifiable, they are objective, and they are usually written. During the specified timeframe, the manager and the employee periodically meet to review the employee’s performance relative to attaining goals. At the end of the specified period, a more formal meeting is scheduled in which the manager and employee assess the actual degree of goal attainment. The degree of goal attainment then becomes the individual’s performance appraisal ( 2002).

            HP combined MBO with the paired-comparison approach. The paired comparison approach, according to  (2002), measures the relative performance of employees in a group. A manager lists the employees in the group and then ranks them  HP managers invested considerable time and energy ensuring that an individual’s pay level within their salary range reflected their performance when compared to others. Performance was judged by the immediate supervisor but adjusted based on a ranking process, conducted by managers in face-to-face meetings, which compared employees in different departments with similar responsibilities.

International Performance Management at HP

            The adoption of the HP Way by overseas subsidiaries entails that the HP Performance Management be employed in these organizations. These companies use both MBO and Paired-Comparison methods in appraising expatriate performance. Expatriates report and are appraised by the host-country managers who in turn report to the parent company.

 

Issues and Problems with the Current Performance Management

1. Invalid Performance Criteria

            International assignees often receive inappropriate performance appraisals because the performance criteria common in their countries are applied to expatriates even though those criteria might not make sense in the foreign culture. In the case of Hewlett-Packard, the performance appraisal criteria that are being employed in the headquarters are also being used overseas. This causes problems because the performance appraisal criteria were designed without considering the external factors that may affect performance in international settings. There is a need for the company to construct criteria for evaluation according the subsidiary’s unique situation.

2. Inadequate Rater Training

            One problem that coincides with invalid performance criteria is inadequate rater training. Performance raters from the headquarters are not properly trained and are not sufficiently educated on the different factors that affect performance in the subsidiary setting. In the home country setting, managers are evaluated by bosses with whom they have significant amount of interaction and with whom they work closely. Problems arise in the subsidiary level because many home-country top executives who complete expatriate’s appraisals lack information about the cultural, social and business contexts in which the work is performed.

3. Rater Bias

            In cases, where performance appraisal is done by host-country managers, problems arise because of rater bias. Individuals from different culture consistently misinterpret each others’ behaviors, possibly basing the appraisals. At times, these misinterpretations will be based on a preconceived attitude on the part of the rater, that is, based on some characteristics of the international assignee that is not directly related to the performance under review.

4. Host Environment

            The environment in the foreign setting is of primary importance. The international context, with its differing societal, legal, economic, technical and physical demands, in a major determinant of international assignee performance. Consequently, international assignee performance and performance expectations need to be placed within its international as well as its organizational contexts.

 

Recommendations

1. Criteria for Appraising International Assignees

            The performance criteria must be structured with consideration to different factors that affect performance in the subsidiary level. An example of the list of  criteria that can be included in the performance appraisal is presented below:

Qualifications

• Training
• Experience
• Technical Skills
• Social and Language Skills
• Education

Targets

• Directly derived from the parent company’s objectives
• Directly derived from the subsidiary’s objectives
• Directly derived from local objectives
• Developmental goals

Attitude for

• Flexibility
• Interpersonal understanding and communication skills
• Ability to cope with the stress of the assignment
• Openness to change

Job Performance

• Result areas; development of local team
• Communication and decision making
• Personal growth and development
• Application of expertise

2. Rater Training and Employee Education

            One approach to performance appraisal training is to alert managers to common errors of judgment so they can spot them in how they evaluate others and guard against them. Appraisal methods that have clear performance dimensions are likely to reduce rating errors ( 1997). For any appraisal system to be effective, training must focus on helping managers develop specific skills and confidence in their ability to effectively evaluate others. These skills should include goal setting, communicating performance standards, observing subordinate performance, coaching, giving feedback, completing the rating form, and conducting appraisal review. Appraisals without training is a sure route to ineffectiveness, frustration and dissatisfaction. It is also important to make employees understand the appraisal system. Everyone in the organization needs to understand why appraisals are being conducted and how the system operates. The more clearly stated the organization's purpose for appraisals, the less confusion and ambiguity surrounding the process. The goal should be that everyone knows why you are conducting appraisals ( 1992).

3. Clear Performance Appraisal Goals and Objectives

            There is no single best way of designing and implementing performance management systems. What works in one organization might fail in another. However, based on the experience of a wide range of organizations tend to point out that effective performance management systems have the following characteristics (2001):

• The performance management system has clear aims and measurable success criteria.
• Employees are involved in the design and implementation of the system.
• The system is simple to understand and operate.
• Effective use of the performance management system is at the core of manager’s performance goals.
• The system allows employees a clear ‘line of sight’ between their performance goals and those of the organization.
• The system focuses on role clarity and performance improvement.
• The focus on performance improvement is closely linked to an adequately resourced training and development infrastructure.
• The purpose of any direct link between the performance management system and employee rewards is made crystal clear, and proper equity and transparency safeguards are built in.
• The performance management system is regularly and openly reviewed against its one success criteria.

Performance appraisal must be free from bias and discrimination. The key is not which form or which method is used but whether managers and employees understand its purpose. An effective performance management system according to  (2002) will be:

• Consistent with strategic mission of the organization
• Beneficial as a development tool
• Useful as an administrative tool
• Legal and job-related
• Viewed as generally fair by employees
• Useful in documenting employee performance

4. Cultural and Social Training for Expatriates and Raters

            The raters and the expatriates must be properly trained in the areas of culture and society of the host-country subsidiary in order to deal with the different cultural and social issues that may affect the performance management of international assignees. Training and development programs that prepare employees for working internationally typically include:

• Language Training – Includes not only learning the language of the host country but also how the people think and act in relations with others
• Cross-Cultural Training – Includes understanding one’s own cultural conditioning, understanding cultural differences, and understanding work attitudes and motivations in other cultures
• Assessing and Tracking Career Development – Includes maximizing the career benefits of foreign assignments and repatriation
• Managing personal and family life in the form of culture shock ( 2002)

 

Conclusion

            International Human Resource Management deals with human resources issues on a different level. Compared to domestic HRM, IHRM requires more planning and there are more factors to consider and to analyze. One of the aspects of IHRM which needs attention from HR professionals is International Performance Management (IPM). Effective IPM requires careful analysis of the parent company’s visions and goals and deep understanding of the environment in which subsidiary operates.  The case of Hewlett-Packard presented different issues and problems that a multinational company faces in managing expatriate performance. These problems and issues are invalid performance criteria, inadequate rater training, rater bias, host environment. Most of these are also being experienced in the parent company, however the problems faced by subsidiaries are more complicated. In order to deal with this, the parent company and the subsidiary must work together in creating a clearer criteria for appraising international assignees, training raters and educating employees, creating clearer performance appraisal goals and objectives, and conducting cultural and social training for expatriates and raters.

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

A Sample Letter of Invitation for a Speaking Engagement

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August 09, 2007

 

Dr.

Address

 

 

Dear Dr.

 

I am writing on behalf of the Corporate Club, U.C Davis’ honor society to invite you to speak at the Club’s annual awards banquet and fundraising event in May.

As you may know the club has been established for outstanding business students and this event is a time to recognize the ingenuity of these young individuals in the field of business management.

The club will pay you an honorarium of $200. We are aware of your speaking fee but we remain very optimistic that you will grace an event such this. We believe that no amount of money could equate the presence and the knowledge you could impart to our students. Following your talk, we would like to invite you to an informal luncheon the Club Lounge with other members of the club and students.

 

We are hoping that you could grant our invitation.

 

Sincerely,

Aroop

President, U. C. Davis Honor Society

 

 

 

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL PROJECT

The role of the State in Globalization

The role of the State in Globalization

 

 

Introduction: Understanding Globalization   

 

            Globalization is a multi faceted term that incorporates many ideas in the society. It is a term that has been used to describe and explain many worldwide events in the 20th century. Much debate was been said about the very idea of globalization, yet they can never come up with a concrete answer as to where globalization would bring the entire humanity in the new millennium.

            Globalization is relatively a new concept, but all through out history, many wars was been made out of globalization. What really is globalization? Globalization is the term used to describe the changes in societies and the world economy that result from dramatically increased international trade and cultural exchange. It describes the increase of trade and investing due to the falling of barriers and the interdependence of countries. In specifically economic contexts, the term refers almost exclusively to the effects of trade, particularly trade liberalization or "free trade, more broadly, the term refers to the overall integration and resulting increase in interdependence, among global actors, be they political, economic, or otherwise.

            Globalization is the beginning of endless debates from two polar points of views. It has been given positive connotations by those who advocate greater economic and cultural integration across national borders, while it has been fiercely criticized by radical groups who perceive it as threat to social cohesion and is only one of the many wheels in the advancement of unfettered capitalism.

            Globalization is a complex phenomenon that it brings no justice to label it as sanctified or demonized, nor should it be used as a scapegoat for the major problems that are affecting the world today. It has a multi dimensional character and thus it does not have the privilege of unique definition. It creates both opportunities and costs for different players in the globalization of goods, services, capital, ideas information and people. This unrestricted assimilation produce cross border integration of a number of economic, social and cultural activities.

 

Main Body (The Role of State in Globalization)

            It seems that man has a natural instinct to expand his territories beyond his border, and venture towards horizon. Globalization might be a new concept, but man has been practicing the very basic of ideals of globalization since man found out that “the grass is always greener on the other side of pasture”.

            Alexander, Napoleon, Magellan and Columbus all pioneered global expansion of territories. Alexander and Napoleon might be thinking of military might as the reason for its expansion of empire while Magellan and Columbus where thinking of economic gain and advantage by finding the island of spices and controlling the trade route of the old world. All this conquest, were sponsored by the state. Alexander, Napoleon, Magellan and Columbus sailed and conquered the world carrying the name of their state. The mission in the first place was funded and was for their own respective territories.

            The modern worlds enjoys and defend well, well defined territories and state which is sovereign from one another, and is recognized by other states and the community of nation.  A state is defined as an organized political community occupying a definite territory, having an organized government, and possessing internal and external sovereignty. Recognition of the state's claim to independence by other states, enables it to enter into international agreements, this is not only important for the establishment of its statehood, but equally important that a state can take part in the activity of nations.

            Because of this need for state to enter into international agreements, globalization seemed inevitable. The interdependence of nations and states created a global community. A world, reduced or shrinked into what is now termed as the “global village”.

            There are four main driving forces behind increased interdependence of the states. This are trade and liberalization, technological innovation and the reduction of communication costs, entrepreneurship and lastly global social networks. Trade and investment liberalization is important to every state, especially those who lacks in economic materials needed to run their economy efficiently. A state that do not enjoy large oil deposits like the Arab countries have, would engage into trade with states with large oil deposits, large enough for their own consumption. In this way, both state receives advantage and can continue operating smoothly. With the birth and wide use of internet, individuals and states can now communicate freely with out leaving their own neighborhood.

Individual Education Plan on Patient with Cushing’s Syndrome

Individual Education Plan on Patient with Cushing’s Syndrome

 

Assessment

            J.A. has no disability that prevents her in any way to learn; therefore any form of teaching can be employed. Because the client’s health status is dynamic, the assessment is an ongoing activity. She has to be educated of her medical condition as client education is considered one of the most important things to do in any health care setting.

            The patient showed that she has a high level of understanding and that her current health status has not affected her level of understanding in any way. The client’s behavior showed that she has a rather long attention span, has sharp memory, and has the ability to concentrate during a teaching session. J.A. is strongly motivated to learn about her medical condition.

 

Nursing Diagnosis

            After assessing information related to J.A.’s ability and need to learn, the data gathered is interpreted and the defining characteristics clustered to form diagnoses that reflect the client’s specific learning needs.

            Plasma cortisol is normally 10 to 25 μg/100 ml in early morning hours (6 to 8 am) and declines gradually to < 10 in the evening (6 pm and later). Patients with Cushing’s syndrome usually have elevated morning cortisol levels but lack the normal diurnal decline in cortisol production, so that evening plasma cortisol levels are above normal and total 24-h cortisol production is elevated (1998). J.A. showed high levels of cortisol in her ACTH test. Free urinary cortisol is elevated and less subject to variation in obese patients.

            The administration of 1 mg of dexamethasone orally at 11 to 12 pm with measurement of plasma cortisol at 7 to 8 am the following morning is a good screening test for Cushing’s syndrome. Most normal patients will suppress their morning plasma cortisol to 5 μg or less following this procedure, whereas most patients with Cushing’s syndrome will continue to secrete undiminished quantities of cortisol.

            Giving oral dexamethasone 0.5 mg q 6 hours for 2 days to normal subjects leads to inhibition of ACTH secretion. Consequently, urinary 17-OHCS will usually decrease to < 3 mg/24 hours on the second day.

            Therapy is directed at correcting the hyperfunction of the pituitary gland or the adrenal cortex; the precise approach depends on the underlying physiologic abnormality.

 

Planning

Goals and Expected Outcomes

            J.A. has to lower her plasma cortisol levels. But aside from these, various problems are also to be solved like her obesity. J.A. has to lose weight.

            If clinical manifestations are severe and definitive correction is immediately required, either suppression of excess cortisol production, with aminoglutethimide followed by bilateral adrenalectomy, or removal of a pituitary adenoma will be the treatment of choice.

            Most importantly, J.A. has to learn about Cushing’s syndrome, what it is and other important things that she needs to know in order to be able to live normally after having Cushing’s syndrome.

Learning Experiences

            The availability of nursing resources will be taken into account in the client’s learning experience. Educational methods that will be used will include (1) one-on-one discussion with J.A., (2) lecture which will include the aid of pictures and other audiovisual materials, and (3) printed material such as pamphlets, booklets, and brochures.

            The table below lists the description of the teaching tools for instruction to be used and its learning implication:

Description

Learning Implication

Pamphlets, booklets and brochures

Material must be easily readable for J.A.

Information about Cushing’s syndrome must be accurate and current.

This method is ideal for understanding the complex concepts involved in Cushing’s syndrome.

Photographs or drawings

Photographs accurately portray the details of the real item or in the case of Cushing’s syndrome, it will accurately portray the disease and its manifestations.

Audiovisual materials (slides, audiotapes, television and videotapes used with printed material or discussion)

These are useful since J.A., at her age could possibly have problems with her eyesight or reading comprehension problems.

 

            One-on-one discussion is perhaps the most common method of teaching the clients (Potter & Perry, 2004). The teaching aids mentioned in the table above could be used during the discussion. Information is usually given in an informal manner and this allows J.A. to ask questions or share her concerns.

 

Evaluation

            J.A.’s education is not complete until the nurse will evaluate outcomes not only of the teaching-learning process but her health status as well. If there are significant improvements in client’s health, then the nurse can evaluate that J.A. have learned the material. One measure would be to check J.A.’s cortisol levels and assess if she is still obese.

            Evaluation reinforces correct behavior in the client. The nurse can evaluate success by observing the client’s performance of each of the expected behavior or goals set ( 2004). The success of the teaching plan depends on J.A.’s ability to meet the established outcomes and goals.

 

 

 

 

 

Comparative Analysis of Employee Relations Systems in Germany and England

  INTRODUCTION The fact that Germany and England has better instances in acquiring better work environment as the value of employee relation systems will have to depend on the pattern and structure of human resource policies and practices in dealing to such issues and challenges for the promotion of employment management standards as the employee systems is being conditioned by specific business culture and philosophy that will relate in integrating and managing people as employees in Germany and England. Indeed, there needs to have a strong relations system that will address the ample need that will have positive outcome on Germany and England’s organization flexibility as it was developed well as there is the requirement in terms of ensuring as to whatever specific employee concerns are taken into consideration that can be obtainable through successful implementation of employee systems to be followed by the companies in both countries.            

DISCUSSIONS

The basics behind good employee relations system are then connected into such harmonious employee relations as for the German culture, the business enterprise are more likely been solidified by human resource policies as well as practice that were sanctioned and geared towards good staffing and employee training as the Germans have acquire a sense of motivational employee relation system that is seen as work slanting guidance and employee relationship styles and the process of initializing crucial mechanisms as to how those employee systems support possible functional aspects that centers on business strategies as employee resource areas have notions of just providing employee services that is solely beneficial to the company and not the employees as a whole. Some of employee relations systems have tendencies to affect tourism and business infrastructures in Germany while, in England there has the sense of integrating the employee systems as several companies were strict in their rules and policies when it comes to people management in the workforce as the  employee system will then base on work attitude and actual work performance in indicating a useful stance for spirited advantage in order for the employee relations system of both countries be successfully applied and realized for the purpose of valuing certain human work structures of big business corporations in both German and England milieu.

 

 

There is also be system transformation that can be crucial for employee empowerment among the two countries such as:

Ø      better workplace relations as interests will focus on the employee’s welfare 

Ø      the use of employee systems that implies to fair compensation and wages that will help in eradicating low stages of employee trust

Ø      the strengthening of employee relations system to increase high motivation and performance as it can be achieved by using equal process for the employee systems as it links to innovative technologies

Ø      the presence of systems involvement that will reflect positively on the  eminence of work circles in transforming German and England employee relationship principles to a more humane reality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For instance, there is the useful process in inquiring if there can be parallel indication of the employee systems as there can be the important factor that sees communication as one critical aspect for a better usage and adaptation of employee systems and the call for possible employee systems of Germany and England as there will provide useful employee management guidelines as to be modified in order to customize working conditions. moreover, the German law will amicably entail better establishment of work council that undertakes the employment of possible five workers at a minimum range as this can be autonomous of amalgamation and organization as likely to symbolize the welfare of the whole employees and obtain report of such used systems that are still effective in running business ventures. In Germany and England, in lieu of its employee systems, there is the presence of co-determination that corresponds to the handing methods of employee participation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The influence of work councils were reflected in identifying work related rights in terms of making sensible decision that emphasizes to established norms affecting employee issues and work matters like for example, in viewing of relations system about possible mishap deterrence and leave provisions as well as working hours schemes as the employee system being followed will offer poignant power with regards to critical thinking that connects to the process of recruitment as well as the extinction of service and preparation as the employees will have the prerogative in receiving information that pertains to employee relationship issues and concerns and are entitled for system consultation, if needed. As there are other countries that is in favor of Germany and England employee systems as there perceives useful extent for contribution made by union groups as compared to single employees as in countries having lower rates, the partaking of possible employee relation systems based on complex resource models does not basically mean that, the German and or Britain employees are passably represented well so, diverse forms of employee systems will involve positive recognition gain in every needed process.

 

 

 

 

 

Thus, there can be growth for accepting the reality as the crucial relationship weapon between the employers and employees will include effective skills and presents value of workforce and the emphasis being placed on proper utilization of employee systems as it implies such matters that relates to the upsetting of work jobs in the process of opinion sharing in activities that requires the use of ability and knowledge and in realizing a suitable employee relation systems will impact positively on work cultures by the two countries as it will occur through the following reasons:

Ø      The employees that has acquired high education qualifications and skills and respond better to participative forms of employee management

Ø      the sense of productivity that intends to augment when employee systems are to be involved in turning up  crucial decisions

Ø      effective choice making  are to be from accessible flow of the systems information and data analysis

 

 

 

 

 

 

The system as used by Germany will require the involve process of such employee ability as well as better synchronization among German workers through liberal sharing of information and that the systems have moved beyond phases of employee sanctions to a more valued sense of knowledge and creativity as well as improved submission of understanding for a sound employee systems as there incorporates the use of motivation instrument as it give workers the quantity employee systems that functions well in their lifestyle formation as the system will recognize individual worth and provide capacity for special development. Aside, in England, the relations system adheres to the flow of job performances within participatory circumstances like, when there is extension of setting goal and objective as there enhance obligation to achieving the systems process motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

The presentation of organizations are exaggerated by mode in which the association communicate with the employees and fairly significant in Germany and England involves the speculation of guidance and cultivating of employees as career opportunity that implies better employee systems for inducting possible systems development as there functions for the easy finding of job growth opportunity as there compelled the viewing of employee relations system and human resource into strategic viewpoint and milieu of better employment in Germany and England and the performing of employee as well as benefit purpose as the employee relations system direct to pertinent to systems changes if possible. There is difference as the fabricating of employee relation system is being shot through imperative from the temperament of employee values which inevitably oversee such taken direction.

 

 

                     

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

            Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is being increasingly required by employers because the process mutually benefits the employers, the employees and their third party stakeholder (patients, clients, customers, colleagues, public, etc.). CPD is an integral component of professional development (, n.d.).

            Quite simply, as a process of lifelong learning, CPD enables the employees to expand and fulfill their personal and professional potential as well as meeting the present and future demands of the job and the workplace. CPD assures that an employee meet the required knowledge and skills that relate to the evolving professional practice (, 2007). As a planned and structured acquisition of knowledge, experience and skills, CPD enables personal development in meeting employers’ needs and regulators’ requirements to ensure professional and personal competence (, 2005).

            Staff are able to mould their professional development and own learning. As such, facilitates new ideas and skills in the workplace through CPD learning. Employers and organisations that encourage their employees to actively participate in CPD benefits in the maintenance of an up-to-date competent workforce, attract confidence of service users, provision for an up-to-date professional practice, increase teamwork through peer-discussion and practice sharing and  improve delivery of service (, 2007).  Furthermore, CPD can aid in staff recruitment and retention, provide evidence of employee standards and meet the accreditation requirements (, 2007).

            The employers’ needs in defining and identifying what is expected of from an employee or applicants are directly linked to an effective professional practice and job satisfaction (, 2007). The maintenance of professional competency serves as the foundation if the employees intend to seek promotion, greater responsibility, a career change or just to maintain employability (, 2007). In connection, there is an increasing demand for accountability, tighter regulations and wider legislations, new technologies and business needs that affect employability (, 2007). Practically, CPD provides for all this requirements and, thus, reflects a balance and healthy workplace for employees.

            The staff engagement in CPD hastens the skills gap amongst the staff and the job requirements (, n.d.). Through CPD programmes, a more proactive approach can be incorporated to ensure staff development and skills maintenance. In effect, such knowledge and skills enhance business effectiveness and profitability (, n.d.). In effect, the employers’, through CPD, can minimize the risk of professional errors and potential litigations, make the workforce and business processes more effective and efficient and improve the profitability and company’s reputation (, n.d.).

Conclusion

            CPD plays a vital role in the continuous evolution of the employers, the employees and the organization as a whole for betterment. Essentially, these three elements are interrelated in terms of meeting all parties’ expectations and needs. To wit, a well-realized CDP grants personal, organizational and professional improvement. Through employing company-wide approaches and engaging employees, knowledge, skills and competencies can be maximized for the benefit of all and risks and errors will be minimized if not totally eliminated.

Reference