Sustainable Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sustainable Design - Essay Example It is first remarkable that, as Yeang, p. 413, 2007, puts it concisely - "Nature regards humans as one of its many species. What differentiates humans is their capability to inflict devastating changes on the environment".3 One of the major human activities that hugely and adversely affect the environment is the burning of fossil fuels to produce energy for other down line human activities. It is now notable that fossil fuels, even in the first parts of the 21st century, still remain the major energy source. Thus, it stands to good reason that any project that can run on low energy consumption is a profitable one. This is in two senses - firstly, with low consumption of fossil fuels low emission of harmful gases is possible and, secondly, the low consumption of fossil fuels enables energy planners to buy more time to develop alternate sources for future consumption when it is believed that all fossil fuels on Earth will be completely exhausted. This paper, thus, is concerned entirely with one such human project - human architectural activity - that is being designed to consume low energy and produce low emissions. This is what is currently being defined as sustainable architecture. The first part the paper discusses sustainability, its definition and global perceptions and the second part is a critical review about a sustainable development in London, called BedZED, as a successful example, its analysis and evaluation of its various environmentally friendly features. Ecodesign: Yeang4 defines ecodesign, which may be taken as sustainable design in this case, as a built environment that is fully integrated within its natural environment. It is taken here that the concerned 'built environment' is the sustainable architecture that this paper is in search of. Yeang (2007), furthermore, severely cautions against misconceptions that technology alone can provide sustainable architecture. He states that simply putting a set of technologies commonly acknowledged as green such as solar arrays, photovoltaic, biological recycling systems, building automation systems and double-skin facades into a building can merit the term ecodesign. Also, if a high mark in a green-rating system can hardly be construed as satisfactory reason to call the built environment sustainable architecture(Yeang, 2007). Instead, Yeang (2007) implies that ecodesign, or sustainable architecture, can only be operational when the entire building interacts with its natural environment in such a manne r that all its inputs and outputs sustain the ecosystem within which it is built without upsetting its delicate balance of secure survival. In this sense Yeang (2007) believes that not only the building but all its associated activities, such as transportation, for example, must be integrated into its ecosystem where he implies

United States Federal Tax Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

United States Federal Tax Law - Assignment Example United States Federal Tax Law On January 3, 2009, Kathy and Frank Willow got married and entered into a contract with Hive Construction Corporation to build a house for $3,000,000 to be used as their main home. On November 10, 2010, when the outstanding principal balance on the mortgage loan was $2,500,000, the FMV of the property fell to $1,750,000 and Kathy and Frank abandoned the property by permanently moving out. They had made interest payments of $130,000 in 2009 and 2010 and paid $50,000 of principal in each year of those years (2009 and 2010) to bring the mortgage balance from $2,600,000 to $2,500,000 just before the date of abandonment. The lender foreclosed on the property and, on December 5, 2010, sold the property to another buyer for $1,750,000. More than one year after the foreclosure, and after heated negotiations, the couple convinced Outside Lender to cancel the remaining debt. So, on December 26, 2011, the lender canceled the remaining debt owing. Kathy and Frank are filing a joint return for 2011. On December 26 2011, Kathy and Frank had $15,000 in a savings account, household furnishings with an FMV of $17,000, a car with an FMV of $10,000, and $18,000 in credit card debt. The household furnishings originally cost $30,000. The car had been fully paid off (so there was no related outstanding debt) and was originally purchased for $16,000. Kathy and Frank had no adjustments to the cost basis of the car. Kathy and Frank had no other assets. ... Kathy and Frank had no other assets or liabilities at that time, except for the Disputed Amount that remains in dispute. (a) What are the tax consequences to Kathy and Frank, if any, for each year? It should be noted that foreclosure occurred before Kathy and Frank cancelled their debt; therefore, they are liable to gain or loss from the foreclosure. Since they maintained personal liability for the $ 750,000 of the remaining debt, then they were liable to cancellation. Additionally, the insolvency exclusion cannot apply in the Kathy and Frank case since their indebtedness did not qualify for the principal residence (Lyon 64). However, the same could have only applied if their insolvency could have been excluded instead of the indebtedness. Additionally, it should be considered that the remaining part of the debt just before the cancellation did not qualify as principal residence indebtedness since only part of the loan could qualify as the principal indebtedness. Therefore, Kathy and Frank must have ordered for the cancellation. (b) Same as (a) except Hive Construction Corporation financed the purchase of the house for Kathy and Frank and Hive Corporation agreed to reduce the debt to 1,750,000 on December 26 2011 and Kathy and Frank continue to live in the houseand there was no foreclosure in 2010? To this extent, Kathy and Frank do not have the right to elect insolvency exclusion as could be in the case of principle residence exclusion. However, they are liable to apply for the insolvency exclusion to $500,000 for the nonqualified debts since such debt is never qualified as principal residence indebtedness. Kathy and Frank have no tax attribute up to the year 2010 other than the use of basic

Literature Review On Defining Employee Engagement

Literature Review On Defining Employee Engagement The purpose of this review is to present the definitions of engagement found in the literature and list the drivers of engagement that have been identified by many authors. The Sunday Times 100 Best companies to Work For surveys eight engagement factors will also be explained in detail along with their link to engagement. Subsequently, authors views on the factors that turned out to be more sensitive for Addleshaw Goddard will be reported along with authors recommendations on how to leverage them in order to boost employee engagement. Introduction In the midst of economic crisis and with its unavoidable negative effect on employee morale and motivation, it is important that organisations take steps to maintain, if not increase, employee engagement [IDS report, April 2009, Vol. 892, pp2] Most studies conducted around the topic shows its link to company performance and sustainability, as Bates et al. claimed that employee engagement predicts employee outcome, organisational success and financial performance [Bates, 2004; Baumruk, 2004; Harter et al, 2002; Richman, 2006]. Lockwood [2007], in her report pointed out that it is a key business driver for organisational success and that high levels of engagement in firms promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty and improve organisational performance and stakeholder value. The importance of engagement is that it has an effect of what people do and how they behave in their jobs and what makes them act in ways that further both, the organisational objectives and their personal goals. Defining Employee Engagement Employee engagement is growing as a concept within the business world due to evidence and research that points out that an engaged workforce performs better and hence creates a strong employer brand [Leigh and Roper, 2009]. This promotes organisations as good employers hence recruiting and retaining key talent becomes less problematic, as evident from the IDS report [2009], where they state, effective employer branding captures the essence of an organisation and sells it to the labour market and employees. A strong employer brand embraces an organisations vision, values and working culture. [IDS Report, April 2009] On the subject of engagement, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) says that Employee Engagement, or passion for work, involves employees feeling positive about their job, as well as being prepared to go the extra mile [CIPD, 2010]. Macey et al. [2008] argues that engagement has been used to refer to a psychological state (e.g., involvement, commitment, attachment), performance (e.g., either effort or observable behaviour), character (e.g., positive affect), or a combination of the above. For example, Wellins and Concelman [2005] suggested that engagement is an amalgamation of commitment, loyalty, productivity and ownership. It is personified by the passion and energy employees have to give to the organisation. It is all about the willingness and ability of the employees to give constant discretionary effort to help their organisation succeed [Cook, 2008]. Furthermore, Towers Perrin Talent Report [2003] which is a study that tracks views and attitudes of employees to understand the elements of the work experience that drive attraction, retention and engagement has defined engagement as a factor that involves both emotional and rational factors relating to work and overall work experience, where the emotional factors are linked to peoples personal satisfaction and the sense of inspiration and affirmation they get from their work and from being part of their organisation. Engagement can be seen as a combination of commitment to the organisation and its values plus a willingness to help out and support colleagues (i.e. team work) Improvements in engagement can be made in many areas and the key concepts are trust, listening, flexible working and the avoidance of the long hour culture. However, this is not in itself a new concept, and highlighting this, Rankin [2008] refers to engagement as: embracing the older concepts of job satisfaction, motivation and attachment that describes individual employees attitudes to their employer, but goes beyond them to provide a complete model of the psychological relationship between individuals and organisations. Rankin [2008] This suggests that employee engagement is inextricably linked to the Psychological, or unwritten contract which exists and concerns discretionary effort, having many positive effects. For example Leigh and Roper [2010] highlighted that psychological contract is a subjective behaviour where employers and employees have their own perception of what is expected of each other. Hence, it is obvious that engagement is something that employees have to offer and that it is impossible to require engagement as part of the employment contract. It is rather an emotional link to the organisation, its purpose and its people. When an organisation delivers on its commitments (when by their actions they fulfil employees expectations), this reinforces employees sense of fairness and trust in the organisation and generates a positive psychological contract between employers and employee. There are many reported examples of employers who have executed strategies to improve employee engagement through business transformation, which in turn improved employee morale, retention and ultimately business performance. Rankin [2008] suggests that management are more likely to embrace initiatives to drive employee engagement, rather than simple retention strategies, owing to the extra benefits of such strategies, such as improved business performance, profitability, focus on customer service and organisational efficiency, of which retention is a positive by-product. What are the Key Levers of Employee Engagement? Defining engagement is crucial but the real value is in determining what creates engagement. Therefore, where studies have been conducted on engagement, there has also be reports on the key enablers of engagement. There is a range of opinions on what the key drivers or enablers are, for example the findings of the UK Governments MacLeod Review into employee engagement have underlined the critical role played by an engaged workforce [MacLeod and Clarke 2009] in both organisational success and individual well-being. As an example, ibid. [2009] suggested in their study that Leadership, Employee Voice, Engaging Managers and Integrity were strong levers in engaging workforce. In other words, without these factors, organisations would have disengaged staff which would lead to poor performance. Furthermore, Lockwood [2007] also underlines that engagement is influenced by many factors, from workplace culture, organisational communication and managerial styles to trust and respect, leadership and company reputation. For todays different generations, access to training and career opportunities, work-life balance and empowerment to make decisions have also become imperative. According to Towers Perrin report [2003] the factors that drive engagement are a combination of Macleod et al. [2008] and Lockwoods [2007] study such as, (a) Senior managements interest in employees well-being (b) Challenging work, (c) Decision-making authority (d) Career-development opportunities (e) The companys reputation as a good employer (f) Collaborative work environment and (g) Clear vision from senior management about future success, to name a few.  [1]   There is no definitive list of engagement drivers. However, CIPDs [2010] research into employee attitudes found that the main drivers of employee engagement were communication and leadership, along with pay and benefits, learning and development, line management and work-life balance as key factors of measuring employee attitudes which can determine how engaged a workforce is. An alternative model of engagement comes from the burnout literature, which describes job engagement as the positive contrast of burnout, underlining that burnout involves the erosion of engagement with ones job [Maslach et al 2001]. According to Maslach et al, six areas of work-life lead to engagement: workload, control, rewards and recognition, community and social support, perceived fairness and values. They argue that job engagement is associated with a sustainable workload, feelings of choice and control, appropriate recognition and reward, a supportive work community, fairness and justice, and meaningful and valued work. Like burnout, engagement is expected to intercede the link between these six work-life factors and various work outcomes. May et als [2004] findings support Maslach et als [2001] notion of meaningful and valued work being associated with engagement, and therefore it is important to consider the concept of meaning. The development of survey tools and questionnaires such as Gallups Q12  [2]  and The Best Company Survey allow levels of engagement within an organisation to be measured. Most of the studies mentioned above have some common theme. Similarly, while Purcell et al [2003] found a number of factors to be strongly associated with high levels of employee engagement, the one thing all of these factors had in common was that they were connected with an employees involvement in a practice related to their work. The Best Companies Survey has also done their share of research linking it to some of the existing researches and categorised the measurements of engagement into eight factors as mentioned earlier in Chapter 1. Critics of Employee Engagement Even though Employee Engagement has become such a commonly used term within the organisational scene, as it is seen as a lever for business success [Wiley, 2010] some studies have shown that organisations fail to understand the true meaning of engagement as quoted by Macey et al.[2008] numerous definitions of engagement can be derived from practice and research driven literatures but the literal meaning is still not clear among practitioners and academics [Macey and Schneider, 2008: pp4] An example of this could be seen from the study Cunningham et al. [1996] did on Empowerment. After the 1990s when empowerment was introduced in the business world, there was a hype about it for years where organisations wanted to Empower their people, without considering the true meaning of the word. While empowerment only represented the most recent manifestation of employee involvement practice [Cunnigham et al., 1996: pp143]. Also argued by Wilkinson [1997] that the term empowerment when first introduced was very loosely used [Wilkinson, 1998: p40]. Likewise, engagement is seen and known widely as beneficial for organisations yet engagement in the UK is said to be critically low as employers are said to be barking up the wrong tree, as Holmes [2010] reports on personnel today. Also as witnessed in Wileys [2010] report he found that UK engagement results lag behind compared to the global results. This is mainly because of the lack of understanding the term as a whole. Hence the concept of employee engagement could be viewed as being faddish and might fade away in a few years when another concept is introduced in the business world. Employee Involvement versus Employee Participation According to CIPD [2010X]: Employee involvement is a range of processes designed to engage the support, understanding and optimum contribution of all employees in an organisation and their commitment to its objectives. Whereas. Employee participation is defined as a process of employee involvement designed to provide employees with the opportunity to influence and where appropriate, take part in decision making on matters which affect them. Farnham [1997] defines Employee Participation as one of four choices for managing the employment relationship. Cited in Rose [2008, p335] Farnham states: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an employee has the right to question and influence organization decision makingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. this may involve representative workplace democracy. The other policy choices Farnham identifies are worker subordination via managerial prerogative, union incorporation via collective bargaining and employee commitment via employee involvement. It is clear then that there are differences between employee participation and employee involvement. The literature suggests that employee participation is a pluralist/collective approach with a range for employees from no involvement to full control [Blyton Turnbull, 1998]. Hence, it may involve processes and mechanisms such as: Collective bargaining Employee share schemes Works councils Worker directors Joint Consultative Committees European Works Councils Whereas, Employee involvement, is more of an individualistic and unitarist approach which aims to harness commitment to organisational objectives. Defining Leadership Leadership is about the ability to influence people by personal attributes and behaviours [CIPD, 2010a]. Leaders need to act out and communicate organisational values otherwise this endangers trust in organisations leading to poor performance. Hence, the Best Company measures how people feel about the head of the organisation, the senior management team, and organisational values. Rayner and Adam-Smith [2007] have pointed out that leaders are key players in devising and implementing organisational strategies. And high level of engagement depends in the way employees are led and managed, as quoted by Armstrong [2009]: degree to which jobs encourage engagement and positive discretionary behaviour depends upon the ways in which job holders are led and managed on any formal process of job design. [Armstrong, 2009:140] There is considerable evidence from prior research that perceptions of managerial processes impact on engagement [Wildermuth and Pauken, 2008]. Evidence suggests that employees level of engagement and other work responses are affected by their perceptions of management or leadership style. For example, opportunities for upward feedback increase engagement through greater participation, which, in turn, relates to better understanding of broader organisational issues as well as personal involvement [Robinson et al 2004]. 3.4.1 Role of leaders in engagement In Macleods engagement report [2009] he stressed that leadership provides a strong strategic narrative which has widespread ownership and commitment from managers and employees at all levels. However, it has been proven through Hays Group research findings [2010] that 56 per cent of leaders were disengaging the staff that they led; and only 26 per cent of the leaders achieved in creating an engaging environment that encouraged high performance. In order for employees to be engaged, it is crucial that leaders themselves be engaged; they need to work and succeed in both their core and non-core job roles [reference] Management from the top to the bottom of the organisation should be committed leaders and key role of the immediate line manager/supervisor is recognised as one of the most important channel to achieving effective employee engagement. Leadership plays a vital role in influencing levels of employee engagement. Goal clarity and direction are identified as factors that can influence an employees level of engagement [Rayner and Adam-Smith, 2007]. Staff perform well when they are clear about their goals and objectives, and know how to go about achieving them, an example could be Latham and Lockes Goal-Setting Theory [1979] where they suggest that by establishing goals individuals are motivated to take action to achieve those goals. As a result, employees tend to be motivated and committed to it. Hence, communication of clear goals and direction from the leader becomes crucial. Leaders also help employees develop personal accountability for their goals and help achieve them. Setting performance expectations and instilling personal responsibility among employees are critical for getting results. The biggest challenges which leaders face is how to effectively motivate, initiate change, and sustain improved performance amo ng employees i.e. Employee engagement has emerged as a critical leadership challenge [Molinari and Weiss, 2005]. Leaders should provide challenging work with opportunities for career growth. Good leaders challenge employees but at the same time they should create confidence that the challenges can be met [Seijts and Crim, 2006]. 3.4.2 Dealing with Professionals/Leaders reluctance from leaders to learn As mentioned above, leaders play a vital role in communicating the firms strategy, values and culture. Leadership style and support are also said to be crucial for encouraging employee engagement. Years of occupational health psychology research have revealed that a transformational leadership style is effective for this task [Barling, 2007], where leaders lead to positive changes in those who follow. However, Leadership development proves to be a big challenge for HR professionals. HR professionals continue to wrestle with understanding the best ways to retain talent and develop leaders for future succession planning. Increasingly recognised as becoming strategic business partners within their organizations, HR professionals are expected to provide the essential frameworks, processes, tools, and points of view needed for the selection and development of future leaders. Across the globe leadership development has been identified as a critical strategic initiative in ensuring that the right employees are retained, that the culture of the organization supports performance from within to gain market position, and that managers are equipped to take on leadership roles of the future so that the organisation is feasible in the long term. Even though they play such an important role in engagement and instilling HR policies, research has shown that senior managers can be a challenge and be reluctant to their responsibilities as HR mediators. As Pech [2009] quoted in his research that what may be good for the organisation may not be perceived to be quite as good to the organisations senior managers. Research in Europe emphasises the negative impact these defensive managerial behaviours have on organisations and performance in general. The Towers Perrin consulting groups survey showed that 42 percent of employees felt that their senior managers dont have a sincere interest in their well-being and another 37 per cent believed that their senior managers fail to lead by example in demonstrating company values [Towers Perrin Report, 2004]. My Manager Engaged managers are at the heart of this organisational culture as Macleod [2009] said: they facilitate and empower rather than control or restrict their staff; they treat their staff with appreciation and respect and show commitment to developing, increasing and rewarding the capabilities of those they manage. Role of Managers in engagement As Lowe [1992, cited in Blyton and Turnbull:148], highlighted that a consistent theme of the HRM literature is about the responsibility given to line managers for the management of the human resource. While Poole [1990] emphasises that HRM involves all managerial personnel especially general managers. All the studies on motivation and retention of talent identify the critical role of line managers and the quality of the relationship with the boss as a key factor. According to Gallup Management Journal study, line-managers play a critical role in employees well-being and engagement. Macleod [2010] also points out that having able managers is critical as engaged managers lead to an engaged workforce [Macleod, 2010] as there is a positive impact on managers treating people as individuals. Managers are critical of the quality of management training they receive from their company. Senior management need to have a sincere interest in employees well being [Towers and Perrin, 2006] whereas line managers play the vital roles in terms of employee engagement as they are responsible for the most of the front line employees and the day-to-day activities [Cook, 2008]. Line managers are also responsible for bringing reward policies to life, organisational commitment and job satisfaction [Purcell, CIPD, 2007]. The line manager clearly has a very important role in fostering employees sense of involvement and value [Robinson et al. 2004]. Employee engagement is seen as a direct reflection of how employees feel about their relationship with the boss [Seijts and Crim, 2006]. One of the biggest challenges for HR is to support line managers in their role of managing and developing people. A majority of line managers seem to be failing in many or most of the basic elements of good management including providing regular feedback or offering to help improve individuals employment [CIPD, 2010]. Importance of Internal Communication True Communication builds a bridge between two people or within a group via which real understanding and contact occur. [Leary-Joyce 2004:pp53]. Internal communication is known as the most obvious method of generating and maintaining engaged employees. Punjaisri et al. [2008], in his research identified that employees mentioned training and internal communications as the major methods of internal branding. The authors also quoted: although training and internal communication can help employees to fulfil brand promise, the strength of their relationship with the brand is predominantly down to employee attitude. The discovered that brand identification, commitment and loyalty were all partial indicators between internal communication and employee brand performance. [ibid., 2008] Whenever there has been research on engagement, communication has always been a big part of it. It has been long-established that communicating with employees effectively is important in making them feel valued and this is particularly the case in the current economic climate when staff may feel more uncertain and require some additional reassurance [IDS, April 2009]. It is also said to be a mechnism for enabling every aspect of a great company culture [Leary-joyce, 2004] What is Employee Voice? The concept of employee voice focuses on opportunities for employees to be involved in decisions collectively, whether through trade unions or by other means. Gradually this process of two-way communication became known as employee voice. It appeals both to those seeking greater business efficiency and to those looking for employee rights. CIPD research suggests that organisations that seek to promote voice are those that believe that employees want to contribute to the business and that for employees to have an effective voice, the important part of the communication process is not what the employer puts out but what it gets back. Good managers recognise that much of the knowledge required for businesses to be competitive is actually in employees heads. Voice is defined most typically in terms of two-way communications, an exchange of information between managers and employees or having a say about what goes on in the organisation. However, there are differences in interpretation. Some managers see voice as enabling all employees to represent their views to managers, and for those views to be taken into account. Other managers take the more limited view that voice is not so much a dialogue or two-way exchange of ideas as a mechanism for employees to transmit ideas to managers in order to improve organisational performance. Mechanisms for employee voice There is a range of different and often complementary mechanisms for employee voice. The CIPD research referred to above put them into two broad categories: upward problem-solving and representative participation. Upward problem-solving which refers to any technique that managers use to tap into employee ideas and opinions, either through two-way communications channels or through specific systems that are set up for employees to express their voiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the structures are management-initiated and operate directly between managers and employees rather than through employee representatives. Techniques include Electronic media, Two-way communications, Suggestion schemes, Attitude surveys, etc. Representative participation refers to schemes under which employee representatives meet managers on a regular basis in the case of scheduled committees, or through more ad hoc arrangements. The essential characteristicà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is that participation is not direct between individual employees and their managers but is mediated through representatives. Partnership schemes, Joint consultation, Collective representation are known as a few techniques All these mechanisms are formal. But informal mechanisms in effect, simply having a word about a problem to a manager who listens and takes action if necessary can be a very effective form of voice. Informal mechanisms may be relatively more important in smaller organisations where fewer formal structures are needed. 2.5.3.1 Two-way communications IDS Report, [2009] has highlighted the fact that while it is important to keep employees well-informed, an organisation seeking to engage employees should also encourage upward communication. For example, carrying out surveys or holding discussion groups as a way of encouraging employees to provide feedback which would involve employees in a dialogue with the company. The very act of carrying out research on engagement within the organisation can be engaging particularly where employees are directly involved in discussions. [IDS, Apr 2009] Encouraging people to have their say and this emphasised as a core value of the organisation that management at all levels must be prepared to listen and respond to any contributions their people make. Employee involvement and participation are (EIP) are regarded by Marchington and Wilkinson [2008] as a key feature of high-commitment HRM. Excellent leadership and management are built of effective communication and is a source of creativity and innovation. 2.5.4 Trust Important determinants for achieving trust are demonstrations of managerial passion for the work and managerial concern for employee welfare, hiring the right employees in the first instance, and then providing them with a sense of control over their lives. Employees will ask for trust and a sense of control in order to be engaged in their work [Pech 2009] (See Figure 2). Managerial passion for the work Employee sense of trust and control = Employee Engagement Managerial concern for employee welfare Effective recruitment Source: Pech, J. [2009] Fig. 2 Determinants for establishing and sustaining employee engagement Well-Being In the Best company survey well-being is used to measure stress, pressure, the balance between work and home life and the impact of these factors on personal health and performance. It has been reported that employee engagement is more likely to be sustainable when employee well-being is also high [Robertson and Cooper, 2009]. CIPD Flexible working perceived flexibility and supportive work-life policies were related to greater employee engagement and longer than expected retention. [Richman, et al., 2008] Guest[1987], in his model of flexibility, underlined that the three components of flexibility are: (a) related to the organisational design, (b) job design and (c) employee attitudes and motivations. [cited in Legge, 2005]. Flexible work practices have been viewed by employees as valuable workplace tools to facilitate work-life management. Employees report that workplace flexibility influences decisions to join an employer, satisfaction with their jobs, and plans to stay with their employers. Recently, some employers have come to recognise that workplace flexibility positively influences valued business outcomes such as attracting, motivating, and retaining key talent in competitive labour markets, increasing employee satisfaction and engagement, as well as improving efficiency and effectiveness. However, although several studies have examined the role of organizational characteristics and work experiences as antecedents of engagement and retention [Burud Tumolo, 2004; Gibbons, 2006; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch, Topolnytsky, 2002], few have investigated the influence of workplace flexibility in particular. Work Life Balance Employee-focused initiatives such as implementing work-life balance initiatives are important in order to connect with employees [Seijts and Crim, 2006]. Employers seek to promote work-life balance by introducing policies that fall within three broad categories: flexible working, including reduced and compressed hours; time off and special leave; and staff support, such as employee well-being programmes and childcare provision [IDS, April 2009]. The mere existence of work-life policies and is associated with positive outcomes for the individual and the organisation. Employees who worked for organisations that had family-friendly policies in place, had higher levels of commitment towards the organisation and lower intentions to leave [Richman et al. 2008] Organisations are better able to portray an image of being a caring employer if they show an obligation and importance to work-life balance. Work-life balance initiatives should seek to improve employees working lives together with their personal lives to the mutual benefit of both employees and employers. Employees should have greater flexibility to pursue their interests outside work and to fulfil any caring responsibilities at home. In the workplace, they are likely to be more in control of their workload and, as a result, feel a greater sense of well-being. In turn, employers may benefit from greater employee engagement. [IDS, Apr 2009] Stress at work Stress has been moving steadily up the workplace agenda in recent years. Any stress can reduce employee well-being and excessive or sustained work pressure can lead to stress [CIPD, 2010]. Hence, it is important to develop a culture that encourages positive attitudes to work, reducing stress and promoting interest and excitement in their jobs (role of top and line managers and leaders). Also communication, involvement, work-life balance are key feature of high-commitment HRM [Marchington and Wilkinson 2008]. Personal Growth Learning is a satisfying and rewarding experience that makes a significant contribution to intrinsic motivation. Alderfer [1972] as cited in Armstrong [2008] emphasised the importance of giving employees the opportunity to grow and develop as it is said to be a motivating factor that directly impacts on engagement when it is an intrinsic element of the work [Armstrong, 2008]. IDS report points out that designing roles that are challenging and giving employees varied responsibilities can help make work more intrinsically engaging [IDS, 2009]. 3.7.1 Career Progression Providing clear and transparent career paths can be vital to engaging em

Voices of Protest :: essays research papers

Voices of Protest: The Politician and the Radio Priest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alan Brinkley, the author of Voices of Protest, wrote about Huey Long and Father Coughlin who launched attacks on Roosevelt’s administration during the years of 1933 – 1935. This period of time was during the great depression. The book described in great length and detail about Huey Long and Father Coughlin, who were extremely influential politicians, and their opposition to the new society of big business and high technology. They felt that the owners of large companies such as Rockefeller, Carnegie and Pullman were to blame for the financial woes of the United States. Long and Coughlin were successful in taking their arguments and beliefs to the American people in the 1930’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huey Long was an energetic, passionate young man at a very young age. In fact, at the age of twenty he stated he planned to run for election. He said, â€Å"first to secondary stated office Louisiana, then for governor, then for United States Senator, and finally for president.† He wrote in the New Orleans Item, â€Å"that about 65 or 70 percent of the entire wealth of the U.S. is owned by two percent of the people†¦wealth is fast concentrating in the hands of the few.† He had the combination of ambition, along with the love and compassion of the less fortunate Americans. He was known throughout Louisiana as â€Å"the kingfish† because of the power and influence he possessed, almost to the point of dictatorship. For several years he was in the limelight and news constantly, in part before of his very colorful and extravagant lifestyle. Even after his death, the people of Louisiana still supported him even though his life was the center of greed and controversy. During his term as Governor, he built hundreds of miles of paved highways, provided free textbooks, constructed bridges, built hospitals, schools and a major university, Louisiana State University or better known as â€Å"LSU.† He obtained his law degree from Tulane and age the age of twenty-one, he moved back to Louisiana to practice law. At the age of thirty-five, Huey Long was elected Governor of Louisiana. He did a couple of things that no governor had ever done before such as consolidating his personal power over all levels of state government and forcing through a program of progressive legislation, thus enabling him to fulfill his promise to the common people of the state.

Mcsa Networking Basics Essay

Introduction What is a network? A network can be defined as two or more computers which are linked together to share resources. These resources can include internet access, printers, software and files. The ‘heart’ of a network is called the server, and its function is to contain all the software and services which the network and its users depend on. Figure 1: Example of a basic network The server is operated by personnel called Network or System Administrators, and it’s their responsibility to ensure the smooth running of the network so it is working as efficiently as possible. This is achieved through the use of a dedicated operating system called Windows Server 2003 – this gives the network administrator complete control over the network functions. Advantages for a network Cost Because networked computers can share the same resources, costs can be dramatically reduced. For example, if there are ten computers in a room each needing access to a printer – it is far cheaper to route all ten computers to a single, shared printer than it is to purchase ten printers; one for each computer. In this example, the saving would also include the cost of ink cartridges (you would only need to purchase one set of cartridges instead of ten). Software can be purchased and installed in a similar cost effective way. Most popular software is able to be bought and installed on a server, and anyone who requires to use it will only need to purchase a license (the legal rights to use it, usually in the form of a certificate). These licenses are far cheaper than buying the software for each user. This method also means that it isn’t necessary for an I.T Technician to install the software on every computer; only one install on the server is needed. Another benefit to this approach is when the software requires an update. If it is server based, only the software on the server would need to be updated. All the users would benefit from the update as soon as it has been installed. If each user had a copy on their computer, I.T Technicians would need to update each one. This could become time consuming, expensive and complicated. The software that this could apply to, includes most Microsoft software and Anti-virus software. Security Security is a vital element in any business. In a network, security is enhanced both internally (security within the network) and externally. Users are given a username and password to access their files and all the programs, hardware etc that they have been given access to. When a user saves a file, it is saved to the server and not the computer that he/she is working on. If that user wants to retrieve that file, it can be done on any computer on the network, and not just on the computer that was originally used. This data can be accessed, monitored and backed up by the Network Administrator at any time. Each department can have their own ‘identity’ on the server, which allows them to have access to files, applications and resources which would be relevant to their requirements. For example, the Accounts department may need to have access to invoicing software (e.g. Sage and Excel), whereas Sales may only require software to monitor and forecast sales over a period of time (e.g. Excel). Accounts may not want other departments accessing their software due to security or confidentiality reasons. Internet security is tighter for both users accessing the internet, and external threats when a network is set up. All the computers can share a single access point to the internet, which makes it easier to monitor internet usage, help reduce hacking and other external threats trying to access data on the network. Another feature which can be applied by the system administrator is Encryption. Data within a folder/subfolder can be encrypted to prevent unauthorized access to data if other security measures have been breached. Typically, only system administrators will be given the ‘recovery key’ to be able to decrypt data incase of system failure or other unforeseen situations. Disadvantages for a network Expensive to install The initial cost of setting up a network can be expensive, with hardware like the server, router, cabling, backup equipment, network printers and server software. Also, dedicated personnel must be hired to keep the server running efficiently and to resolve any server/network issues. Centralised Data Having all of the data in one place means that data could be lost in the event of a system failure. Regular backups of the server are highly recommended (daily, weekly and monthly) to help to keep data safe. But if the server goes down in between backups then all the recent data will be lost. Reduced Performance The server’s performance can become reduced as the network expands or as its workload increases through the working day. A server must have as much memory and processing power as possible to help minimise the reduction in performance. Task 2a Network Topology is the description of how a network is laid out, the devices (server, routers, printers etc) attached to it and the direction which data flows. A network can be described as either Logical Topology (the way data flows in a network) or as a Physical Topology (how a network is physically laid out) There are six main topologies, Bus, Ring, Star, Extended Star, Hierarchical, and Mesh. Bus Topology This can be both a Physical and Logical, in a local area network (LAN), each device is connected by a single cable. This single cable is also referred to as the ‘backbone’ of the network. A terminator must be on either side of the cable to prevent the data signal from bouncing back down it. The Bus Topology was widely used in early networks using standard Co-ax cables. It was an economical solution for networking as only one main cable was needed. The disadvantage to this was if this cable failed, the whole network would go down. Ring Topology In a Ring Topology (also known as IBM Ring Token), each computer (node) is connected to each other in a closed loop. Each computer has its own unique identity on the network. When data is transmitted from one node to the other, the data will include the destination’s identity and will pass through each node until it reaches the destination. This type of topology has two main disadvantages; only one computer can transmit data on the network at a time and if a computer fails the whole network will go down. There is a slight variation to this; the Duel Ring Topology The second ring within the network provides a backup connection, so if there is a failure within the network, the secondary connection will keep the network connected. This is expensive as more cabling is required. Star Topology The most common type is called a Star Topology. Each device is connected to a dedicated central hub. All the data on the network flows through the network via the central hub. These types of networks tend to be small, as data could be degraded or lost on a large network. The main advantages to this is that it is easy to setup and easy to add new devices to the network. But if the central hub fails, the whole network goes down. Extended Star Similar to the Star Topology, but instead computers are grouped together and connected to a local hub, which in turn is connected to a central hub. This is widely used in large networks where the network may be in a large building, and each group of computers may represent each department. There are more points of failure on this network, but if a local hub fails, then the rest of the network will not be affected. Hierarchical or Tree Topology This is very similar to a Ring Topology, but computers are attached to the central hub in layers. While the structure looks different, this still has the main disadvantage of network failure if the top device goes down. Mesh Topology All the above topologies suffer from the same problem. If one device fails on the network, the whole network goes down. The only solution is to connect each device with each other and remove the need for a server. This is the Mesh Topology and has two main advantages; If a device fails, the network will still work and the network doesn’t need to rely on the processing power, bandwidth etc from a server as it is supplied from each computer. The disadvantage to this is the high cost of connecting each device to each other, so this would not be suitable on a large network. This type of topology is also referred to as Peer-to-Peer whereas the other topologies are considered to be Client/Server based. A comprise between cost and connectivity would be the Partial Connected Topology. Devices are connected to more than one node on the network, so if one fails the network can still work. This is more cost effective than Mesh Topology as less cabling is required. Task 2b Recommendations As it stands, the structure of the current network is a Hierarchical or Tree Topology. The network uses two different switches to connect the Domain Controller to the 24 computers. These are from two manufacturers; CISCO and 3Com and this offers 100Mb and 10Mb speeds respectively. This is a disadvantage because one ‘group’ of computers has a quicker data transfer rate than the other. The network does not have a disaster recovery plan should the Domain Controller fail. This has the potential for putting the whole network at risk from permanent data loss. The network also shares a single printer which is attached to the Domain Controller, 10 of the computers are connected to it through the slower 3Com 10Mb switch. This means all 24 computers print via the Domain Controller (which is currently overloaded) and 10 computers send data at a slower rate than the rest of the network. My first recommendation would be to replace both switches with a single CISCO 100Mb 48 port switch ( £631.99 from MISCO website). This would provide a standard, quicker data transfer speed throughout the network and allow for the network to expand. There are a total of 24 computers, and this switch would enable a further 24 devices to be added to the network e.g. additional computers, printers etc. This would allow the network to expand whilst maintaining a fast data transfer speed. With the new switch in place, my next recommendation would be to replace the HP Laserjet III (USB connection only) with a newer, network-ready printer like the HP Laserjet 2055DN or P2030 which costs  £319 and  £160 from HP website. By replacing it with a newer model, printing could be completed quicker, quieter and more cost effectively e.g. more reliable printing, more energy efficient, lower consumable costs etc. Also, sharing the workload throughout a faster network is more efficient than channelling all the printing requirements of the network to an older single printer on a slow 10Mb switch via the Domain Controller. This will also help reduce the workload to the Domain Controller. While the Domain Controller’s workload can be reduced by the addition of a network-ready printer, other options could be to increase the specifications (e.g greater hard drive space, more memory etc). Ensuring the controller has the latest software updates will ensure both the running efficiency and increase the network security. This will help prevent unauthorised access (hacking) to the network. My final recommendation is add disaster recovery and remote working within the network, By regularly backing up data on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, this will ensure the network can be restored in case of total data loss. To assist learning or to prevent students from accidentally causing errors/problems within the network, remote working should be enabled. User accounts can be easy created in Active Directory though the use of a standard template. Templates could be set up for both students and tutors, so all of the common properties of the accounts are already established. When a new user account is required, the administrator will only need to complete the fields that require unique values (eg, name, address, telephone number, course details etc). Once the users have been created within the Active Directory, they can be placed into Organisational Units (OU’s). This will group together users, so in this situation students could be placed in OU’s which represent their course. When the OU’s are established, the users’ configuration settings can be applied through the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). It holds hundreds of user configuration settings, security options and user event logs, all which can be applied as required by the college administrators. Figure 2: Example of the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) By using Group Policies effectively, the administrator can control and manage exactly what users can and cannot do whilst logged onto the domain. Administrators are able to control how the desktop appears, the icons that are available and the ability to configure the task bar etc by applying the Desktop setting found within the ‘User Configuration’ in the GPMC. This could be useful if the college policy states that all users must have the Llandrillo College logo as their wallpaper, and various required icons are in place and users to have access to various programs via the ‘start’ menu. To improve password security, administrators are able to increase the effectiveness of the passwords that users apply to protect their identity on the network. The password options can be found within the ‘Password Policy’ within the ‘Computer Configuration section of the GPMC. These options include the ability to reuse old passwords, to apply complexed passwords (eg. more than 6 characters, using upper, lower case letters and digits 0-9). In the example, a programmer has created a random word generator to create passwords. Group policy could be configured so when they log on for the first time, users input the randomly generated password and then they must input their own password using a complexed password. If the user ever forgets the password at any time, administrators are able to reset it through the ‘Active Directory Users & Computers’ tool. Figure 3: Example of Password Policy within GPMC To prevent users from using too much disk space on the network, administrators are able to allocate limited disk space to users and by applying prompts when this space is nearly used up. By putting this in place, administrators can calculate how many users will be on the system multiplied by how much hard disk space each user will be allocated. This total will be the minimum amount of disk space required for all users in each new academic year. Administrators will be able to ensure the server can physically hold all the users data without completely running out or running low of disk space. To achieve this, administrators will need to locate the allocated hard drive and apply a quota, limiting users on how much space they can use. Individual users can have separate entries in the quota, allowing them to have a lesser or a greater share of disk space. This would be useful for tutors who may need greater disk space to store course material etc. When the network is running, administrators may be required to monitor the networks resources to ensure it exceeds the users demands. The tool required is called the ‘Performance Console’ which is found under Administrative Tools. This tool appears in the form of a graph although it has three counters as a default (Memory:Pages/Second, PhysicalDisk: Average Disk Queue Length and Processor: % Processor Time), additional counters can be easily added or removed accordingly. A college administrator may add counters to monitor network bandwidth, server utilisation (memory, cpu performance, disk performance etc). To help administrators monitor the server, counter logs and alerts can be applied. This can enable administrators to proactively identify when system resources run too low or to identify possible hardware failures/malfunctions. Any one of these problems could result in a degraded performance or total server failure. Figure 5: Example of the Performance Console The college network may be required to support remote users, allowing them to access the college network whilst being in a different location eg working from home, from another campus etc. This can be achieved through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The user will be able to access the college’s network through the use of the internet whilst achieving the required security and data encryption. The network’s firewall must have exceptions to allow authenticated users to access the network whilst preventing unauthorised access. Once the network is running effectively, the next challenge administrators will face is maintaining the security and the efficiency of the network. This can be achieved by deploying server updates and hotfixes as provided by Microsoft. The server can be updated with the use of ‘Automatic Updates’, which can be found within the ‘All Programs’ menu under the start button. Updates can be downloaded either straight away or scheduled to download at a certain day/time. This could be configured to download when the network is at its quietest time (eg 10pm). This would ensure that the update would not effect the overall performance during busy periods. Also, updates for the users computers may be required. Instead of administrators physically installing them on every computer on the network, this could be downloaded on the server as an *msi file and automatically installed via a group policy. So the next time users within the network log onto the network, they will automatically be downloaded & installing the updates from the server with no intervention required.

Industrial Training Report Essay

My sincere gratitudes go to my industrial supervisor Miss Siti Norshafina Binti Jaih, Site Engineer, and the other staff on Penang Second Bridge project Mr Leong Chee Keong, Contractor Manager , Mr Faizul Ikmal, Site Engineer, Mr Chang Su Thai, Quantity Surveyor, Mr Loo Wooi Min, site supervisor and all the staffs, for helping me during the course of my 10 weeks of Industrial Training at GHL Construction Sdn Bhd on Penang Second Bridge Batu Kawan Expressway Project. A lot of thanks you for all of teaching and providing helpful guidance to me. Biggest thank has to Miss Siti NorSyafina Binti Jaih as our Industrial Supervisor. She has been in construction field specialized bridge almost 3 years. She is rich in knowledge and skillfulness on arrange work progress, solve problems on site, and ensure the work done is based on drawing and right methods. I like to thank her for her generosity and no less, her patiences in sharing information and knowlegde with me, which has benefited me in expanding my knowledge and understanding about this industry. Next, I would like to give thanks to my Constructon Manager, Leong Chee Keong. He is a 14 years veteran in the construction field who packs with vast experiences and knowledge in this field. From the understanding of theorems to its applications and technical practices, he knows them very well. I have seen from him as one who strives to continuously in seeking knowledge and improvement. I also like to thank my Academic Supervisor, Mr Masiri Bin Kaamin . During his visit to Batu Kawan’s Site Office (Penang Second Bridge Batu Kawan Expressway Project) for completed the task, he shared his knowledge and experience in the construction field with me and provided valuable guidances. Last but not least, I am grateful to all other staffs at Project Penang Second Bridge Package 3b expecially GHL construction Sdn Bhd’s Staff. They warmly welcomed me onboard, and not hesitating in lending me helps whenever I need them. They are instrumental in my very much delightful and fruitful  working experience in Project Penang Second Bridge. I wish them all well and successful in their life and carreer, and the continuous prosperity for GHL Construction Sdn Bhd . ABSTRACT I have completed a 10 weeks industrial training program at GHL Construction Sdn Bhd, started from 23rd May 2011 and ended at 29th July 2011. During the internship at GHL Construction Sdn Bhd, I have been assigned as assistand engineer for project named as Penang Second Bridge Batu Kawan Expressway Package 3B. This report gives an insight of the process of this program, and summaries the working experience gained, knowledge learnt accomplishment and feedbacks from me during working as a trainee in GHL Construction Sdn Bhd. SCOPES ACTIVITIES Jabatan Kerja Raya has been regularly taking in industrial trainees from various universities or colleges in order to assist project implementations and support daily operations. For this period of time, there are 7 students from universities or colleges are offered to be trainee including me. There are 5 students from diploma’s level and 2 students from Degree’s level. I and one of other trainee, Izyan Balqis from University Technology Malaysia are assigned at Kompleks taman Bimbingan Kanak- Kanak Project. Besides that we also assist in Project Bangunan Tambahan Jabatan A & E dan Wad Hospital Bentong, Pahang- Pakej 11, Project †¦. During industrial training, student’s job scope is mostly to observe and learn from engineer. Trainee need to study plan to know more of their working environment. Trainee will do further study during following the engineer to the site and make surveying work, levelling work and supervised activity on site .Trainee was always being asked to observe them doing their works and do some work with carefully. Certainly they will explain to me the processes and the reason they need to do so. Trainee is encouraged to be humble to ask any questions from seniors. It is necessary for Trainee to learn as much as possible during industrial training such as knowledge of related jobs, practical skill, communication skill, good behavior, responsibility, and other. Besides, Industrial trainee will be exposed to the construction field and applications and technical practices. Trainee will also understand the process flow of project implementations, from the beginning stage of planning and designing, to developing and testing. To equip the trainee with relevant knowledge and skill on this, the trainee will firstly learn the concept of plan reading. Trainee also needs to know and learn about relevant skills and technologies, for examples tolerance for leveling pile cap, marking cutting pile, communication skills , consultants and other contractor trends. Trainee also supports daily operation. Various tasks assigned to the trainee are required to be completed in an effective and timely manner. Trainee not only will know about how the company runs in the process, but also forge a good working attitude in the meantime. This industrial training program at Jabatan Kerja Raya has been completed successful, with every objectives meet in the same time. PROJECT/ ACTIVITIES During the period of the 10 week’s industrial training, I was being assigned to supervised and consult several project such as Kompleks Bimbingan Kanak-Kanak, Project Bangunan Tambahan Jabatan A & E dan Wad Hospital Bentong, Pahang- Pakej 11. Main Contractor for this package is IJM construction. There are a few subcontractor under GHL Construction Sdn Bhd. First of all, I had to train myself to speak and talk with my supervisor, colleagues within company, even workers at site. This helped me to improve my communication skill. I learned to speak nice, humble and soft with my colleagues. This helped to generate a good relationship which will make my working life more smoothly and enjoyable. From the communication with seniors in company, I got to more about their working life experience. I knew how to work in society and ways to survive in working society. It also helped me in choosing my future path after I graduate soon. Besides, In the industrial training, I trained to do any things on my own. I learned to apply the knowledge I gained from school and university in work. I had been approached to the real-life working environment. Furthermore, I also need to be initiative and independent in my work in company. When working, I had been given a few tasks or assignment to do. I been trained to done my job independently without any friend’s help. This made me become more initiative and able to make my own decision in doing my work. If got any problem not understand, I also need to be initiative enough to ask my colleague or supervisor for guidance. When I am free at work, I also will find something to do on my own; either seeks for work from supervisor or studying the operation manual and contract document by my own. This trained me to have a good behaviors and habits when working in the company. I also experienced the real-working life more practically during I supervised work at site and have talk with contractor. I learned the construction management including the way to manage time, worker, machinery very well. I also had chances to work at site project for the almost 80% of my 10 week’s industrial training. Mostly, I observed my colleagues how they carry out the checking and do joint sheet measurement with contractor. Besides, I was exposed to the progress of a project, and also the business relationship between companies. I also know the organization for this project and their function and responsibilities about the project. I also learn a little about consultant and client organization and work . I gained  some experiences from the head section about formwork and steelwork(welding and cutting). There are a lot of knowledge I gain from them. Beside that, I also got involved doing leveling for every substructure and supervise the activities on site. Now, I also know the name and the function of some machinery and apparatus used at site very well. I learn how the operator manage to used and handle it.