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t’s Time For Business Leaders To Come Together On Mental Health

HYPERLINK “https://www.forbes.com/sites/deloitte/2021/03/30/its-time-for-business-leaders-to-come-together-on-mental-health/?sh=1a0463804183” It’s Time For Business Leaders To Come Together On Mental Health (forbes.com)

This article in Forbes has been written by Emma Codd who is a global inclusion leader. She talks of how mental health has become an important issue in the business world. This is because several times there has been a problem of people not being able to perform perfectly due to their mental health issues which are generally stress and depression. Due to these issues therefore the business world is adversely being affected since a depressed person cannot be productive. She gives different reasons for the causes of depressions which include; lack of support in the workplace; deadlines to meet which are strict, very difficult projects to work on, very high expectations, lack of control, lack of proper development when one is a child, being unable to open up or express oneself, long term career and financial outlooks, family welfare among other reasons.

The reason for this post is that it is a perfect post for horizon scanning since it has been written very recently in 30th March 2021. It focuses on the future of the business world and how it can be affected by mental health issues among the employees.

What will life look like after most people get the vaccine? – FuturityThis article from futurity talks of how lives have changed due to corona virus pandemic and how life is expected to change now that an anti-virus has been established. It talks of how this is going to affect people’s social life, the manner in which a person lives, the education sector and so much more about the life of a person. This article therefore is a perfect one for horizon scanning since it focuses on the future of the world in light of corona virus and how this is going to affect the world we live in. even though there is not fixed view of how life will be after most or everyone gets the antivirus there are speculations that some people will be uncomfortable with the anti-virus and only take it because it is what is expected to guarantee their life with the other people.

This information therefore it is important for horizon scanning since the future is still unclear but there are assumptions which can be deduced from the information presented. This article was written on 12th April 2021.

It’s Time For Business Leaders To Come Together On Mental Health

SHORT ESSAY.

History

Name of Student

Institutional Affiliation

SHORT ESSAY.

Origins of the Cold War.

The cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union began after the Second World War. Several reasons influenced the cold war. The production of a nuclear weapon by both nations influenced the cold war. The United States and the Soviet Union were wary of each other. The two nations were against the production of nuclear weapons so each country wanted the other to stop the production of nuclear weapons. The United States was against communism. Communism was a famous ideology in the Soviet Union and its emergence in the United States caused a lot of panics. The ideological differences between the United States and the Soviet Union triggered the cold war according to Gaddis (2000).

Response to Lesson Learned.

Both the United States and the Soviet Union finally decided to end the cold war. The two nations agreed to monitor and control their military power so that they cannot cause the third world war. The two nations never wanted to engage in a war since they well understood the ramifications of the war. The two nations finally respected the ideological differences between them and they had to let people choose what suited them the most. The united states and the soviet union reduced their military advancements as they thought this will reduce the chances of another world war.

Geopolitical Flashpoints.

Truman’s major geopolitical flashpoints that steered his decision making between 1945 and 1960 include; the need for the national security act, the Truman doctrine that was important during his tenure, the establishment of NATO who were his important allies, and the expansive military with substantive nuclear weaponry. Eisenhower’s tenure was marked by open discussions on internal and external deals, retaliation, and the expansion of the military.

LONG ESSAY.

The concentration of Power.

Since the inception of the United States government, different ideas have shaped the concentration of power. The federal government’s power and those of the state governments has been reviewed over time. This has prompted the government to introduce several acts that check the powers of the two levels of the government. Amendments such as the 5th and the 14th amendments have evolved from the ideas of what has happened previously in the United States.

Trusting the Federal Forces.

The federal government got involved with the civil rights activists and it would consult on what they wanted. President Johnson was keen on finding legislative solutions through congress that will redress the injustice and discrimination that was rampant then. The legislative solution invoked the roles of the federal government to protect the civil and political rights of people and the promotion of economic and social justice. The government showed goodwill to the civil rights activists therefore; the civil rights activists entrusted the freedom to the federal forces. The government’s willingness to listen to the civil rights activists also led them to trust it with the freedom they were championing.

Reagan’s Tenure.

The conservative activists sought to be politically active so that they would voice their concerns and champion for the rights. They used several tactics to voice the issues that they thought were important. They used televangelism television shows to raise their issue. They as well employed tactics such as mailing campaigns, organized rallies, and telephone hotlines to mobilize and raise the important topics. Their tactics were more conservative but they successfully articulated their issues.

Changes through the Cold war to Contemporary Times.

During the early cold war, the United States was strict to maintain pure its ideologies and keep away the communist ideology. Those who sympathized with the communist ideology were executed and lost their jobs. During President Lyndon B. Johnson’s tenure, he introduced the great society whereby one of the main aims was to abolish the inequality. The civil rights at this moment had to wage their campaigns and the introduction of the act was a great boost to them. They had the support of the government thus their mission was almost accomplished. The period of the Vietnam War saw a divide united states. The civil rights activists were against the United States soldiers helping in the Vietnam War due to the number of the causalities. However, some supported the inclusion of the United States army. The Watergate scandal happened during President Nixon’s tenure in office. Nixon had conspired with the top government officials to ensure his re-election. This scandal led to the resignation of President Nixon who otherwise would have been impeached. 48 people were sentenced after found guilty out of the sixty-nine that was under investigation. This scandal got the attention of the public and it seemed they distrusted the government.

Reagan is reign was one of the warmly felt modern presidencies. By the time he left office, his presidency was approved to 68% one of the highest. He reduced government spending and taxes but he increased military spending. Generally, his ideas were accepted except for a few like the Iraq war that received criticism. During the neoliberalism period, most people stood for their rights and they fought against the injustices that were melted upon the minor races in the United States. To today, the rights to articulate the person’s mind have been enhanced in the United States through the struggle still is on according to Gaddis (1987).

The usefulness of the Federal Government.

The federal government has proved many times to protect the rights and freedoms of the people. The amendments and several acts that have been enacted over time have proven the government’s commitment. The government has also supported a strong judiciary that has ensured the rule of law is maintained according to Dudziak (2011). For instance, the 14th amendment was an addition of rights that individuals can enjoy. The government has also acted in a manner that it has threatened public trust. For instance, President Nixon’s scandal almost made the public lose its trust in the government.

American governance.

The bad examples always influence and shape public opinions. They are also the major influencers to the constitutional change. For instance, the need to have better articulate rights and freedoms was due to the injustices in a section of people. the injustices informed the constitutional changes. The political power has influenced the American identity and culture. The two parties; the Democrats and the Republicans are parties that have developed on identity and cultural ideologies. The Democrats are mostly people of color and the Republican majorly the white from the north.

References

Dudziak, M. L. (2011). Cold war civil rights: Race and the image of American democracy (Vol. 73). Princeton University Press.

Gaddis, J. L. (1987). The long peace: Inquiries into the history of the cold war. Oxford University Press on Demand.

Gaddis, J. L. (2000). The United States and the origins of the Cold War, 1941-1947. Columbia University Press.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 2

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u 1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc12062 11.1 Research Objectives PAGEREF _Toc2576 11.2 Research Road Map and Main Argument PAGEREF _Toc12456 12. Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc26763 22.1 Health And Safety Issues PAGEREF _Toc2059 22.1.1 Physical Risks PAGEREF _Toc13694 22.1.2 Chemical Risks PAGEREF _Toc9469 32.1.3 Psychological Risks PAGEREF _Toc23534 32.2 Finding Skilled Workers PAGEREF _Toc8197 42.2.1 Rapid Development of New Technology PAGEREF _Toc28017 42.2.2 Insufficient Workforce PAGEREF _Toc31434 52.2.3 Construction Skills Gap PAGEREF _Toc27094 62.3 Workplace Diversity PAGEREF _Toc12185 62.3.1 Language and Communication PAGEREF _Toc23818 72.3.2 Gender Equality PAGEREF _Toc29239 72.3.3 Ethnic and Cultural Differences PAGEREF _Toc19744 82.4 Payroll PAGEREF _Toc21572 92.4.1 Tracking Overtime PAGEREF _Toc425 92.4.2 Late payments PAGEREF _Toc20921 92.4.3 Misclassifying Employees PAGEREF _Toc14015 103 Research Design PAGEREF _Toc11841 113.1 Observations PAGEREF _Toc8556 113.1.1 Surveys PAGEREF _Toc4742 113.2 Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc6235 123.2.1 Statistical Analysis PAGEREF _Toc4256 123. Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc2802 14

Human Resource Challenges Facing Construction Companies In France

IntroductionThe booming construction industry in Europe especially in France, has brought along Human Resource (HR) issues related to work safety, finding qualified staff, payroll, and advancement in technology. However, the issues mentioned above are crucial for various stakeholders in the construction industry, including project managers, contractors, suppliers, architects, and customers.

Considering the wide range of construction industry in France, many organizations, including construction companies, contractors, subcontractors and many people from different backgrounds, have encountered various problems with human resource management. So, this article will investigate the key human resource challenges facing construction companies in France.

Research ObjectivesTo identify the challenges faced by human resource management in hiring and managing employees in France construction companies.

To determine the specific factors creating those issues and how to manage them, to ensure productivity.

To Assess emerging issues in contemporary human resource that affects the flow of operations in construction companies.

To explore the possible recommended solutions to solve human resource management challenges facing construction companies in France.

Research Road Map and Main Argument

The major HRM issues faced by most France based construction companies include health safety issues, finding skilled labor, workplace diversity, and payroll issues (Hussin, Rahman and Mamun, 2013). In trying to assess these issues, the literature review will evaluate the previous research related to the same in order to gain more insights regarding these concepts and later present a research design for further study.

This is mean that the major HRM challenges facing the construction industry in France today include health and safety problems, getting qualified workforce, diversity in the workplace, and salaries and wage payments.

Literature ReviewHealth And Safety IssuesInternational labor organizations indicated that health and safety in the construction industry are becoming more extensive than it had been before (Murie, 2007). With the progress of the times, construction designs have developed with hence requiring more complex procedures that endanger the safety and health of workers in the company. These risks are into three divisions: Physical, Chemical and Psychological risks.

Physical RisksThe construction industry involves much of technical work hence prone to physical injuries from the work environment and building materials. Most buildings constructed currently are storey building with many floors, which subject workers to falling objects such as building blocks that may hit them from upper floors or the workers themselves falling from higher levels to the ground. Also, physical exertion and strenuous workloads such as heavy lifting, pushing and snagging, which may cause physical injuries and musculoskeletal pain (Ajslev et al., 2016)

According to Murie, 2007, physical injuries are increasing due to the growing construction industry and the development of new clients’ needs and preferences. Accidents are prone to occur in construction sites as materials are bulky, and a fall may create a significant injury on a worker. The knowledge on such risk gives the need for personal protective equipment such as protective gloves, hearing protection, and face shields. Protective clothing exists since the risks may affect the performance of the company. Improvement of construction materials also increases the risk of accidents; so, physical risks are becoming more common.

Chemical RisksConstruction raw materials used for the production of composites contain harmful mineral binders and high radiation products that affect employees in the companies (Kowalik et al., 2019). Mineral binders contain chemicals such as tricalcium silicate and tricalcium aluminate, which, when exposed to a humid environment, becomes dangerous to the human body. The substances affect respiratory organs and sense organs, consequently reducing production and workers’ activities. Due to dust, materials such as cement can easily cause respiratory infections. When people inhale the dust, it can harm the inner walls of the respiratory organs, causing prevention and disease.

According to (Kolwak et al., 2019), most construction materials contain chemicals that are also poisonous, and workers are ignorant of the influence. Paints also have a strong smell due to resins, that strengthen the paint durability. The strong smell affects the nose and eyes, causing irritations; hence workers cannot engage as required. These discomfort issues are a challenge to the construction companies as the chemicals are essential in the building. Protective clothing may fail to prevent the chemicals from getting into contact with the human body.

Psychological Risks

Construction companies are susceptible to mental health issues due to exposure to job-related psychological stress, such as high-performance pressures and complex decision making (Oswald, Borg, and Sherratt, 2019). Construction work requires a lot of energy and involvement, which if not well managed, may affect workers mentally or negatively impact their psychological processes. According to (Tiwal, 2013), four significant factors contribute to the level of stress among construction workers. These factors include too much work, pressure, demanding deadlines, and conflicting demands between workers and management. Pressure caused by time limits and performance expectations is the leading cause of mental issues among construction workers.

The construction workers are human, and the environment where they live in may either make them uncomfortable or cause psychological distress. For companies to attain their goals, they need to have targets, which have to be achieved by the workers. The urge to accomplish the goal leads to put pressure on workers’ involvement. If managers do not consider the factors that affect them in the work environment, they will have stressful experiences, which will psychologically affect them, leading to low or poor performance. As a result, the company will not be able to achieve the set goals.

Finding Skilled WorkersConstruction work is highly dependent on skilled labor to complete companies’ production operations. However, there has been significant skills shortage affecting time, cost, and quality of work (Mohamed, Pärn and Edwards, 2017). Poorly skilled workers require some training and directions to do the right thing, which takes time and cost. Also, the quality of work produced by an unskilled person with lower standards. Finding skilled workers is a challenge for construction companies due to: Rapid development of new technology; Insufficient Workforce; Construction Skills Gap.

Rapid Development of New TechnologyLow supply and unavailability of qualified ICT personnel have become a challenge due to high technological innovation and new ICT developments (Brixiova, Li and Yousef, 2009). Technology has been developing rapidly, also affecting the construction industry. The emergence of new machines requires experienced workers who can effectively operate them for proficient performance. Finding this skilled labor force is a challenge for construction companies, as many people do not grasp the skills needed to run the machines. According to (Brown, 2019), as manufacturing processes improve, with automation and technological advances, the skilled workforce gap continues to increase. The technically experienced workforce is aging and retiring, with no younger population taking over.

Technology will continue to advance, so new machines and processes will be developed for the construction industry. People are not responding to the latest developments by looking for skills to operate machines, resulting in a shortage of skilled workers. The skilled population at the time are also becoming outdated as the equipment used before are not the same ones used currently. This shortage negatively impacts construction companies as it leads to reduced productivity and failures to reach objectives.

Insufficient WorkforceTrained workers in the construction industry are diminishing as the growing population prefer indoor activities and relate construction work to income inequality. According to (Brown, 2019), construction work is being neglected by the millennial society as they are moving away from hand-on jobs to indoor activities and working in offices. This mentality leads to a failure to get training on construction machines and processes hence less trained individuals within the population. Also, the construction industry is growing, with more companies emerging. Therefore, the number of qualified workers in society is insufficient to support the growing industry. Due to the high demand and less supply of workers, many companies fail to access trained labor.

The young population considers manual work as low waged jobs and requiring a lot of effort to accomplish. Most individuals wish for lesser work with more pay hence get trained o other fields leaving the construction sector with a lower number of people. The fewer individuals who decide to get construction training to fail to serve the growing construction companies hence making it challenging to find skilled workers.

Construction Skills GapThe construction industry has undergone a lot of changes; therefore, new skills and roles are emerging, with no skilled workforce to cover (Ukconstructionmedia.co.uk, 2019). Human effort is the most vital factor in construction companies to ensure the accomplishment of objectives. Having a shortage of skilled labor is profoundly impacting the performance of companies. The skills gap increases the costs for projects as it takes a longer time to complete, which is also a limitation for the clients. With the development of technology, roles such as ICT(Information and Communications Technology) officers and developers are appearing, which requires qualified personnel to effectively fill these positions.

High skill is in providing a quality service of a product. This requirement ensures the importance of hiring qualified staff in the construction companies to get excellent performance. As the industry is improving, with new designs, improved materials, and, most significant advancement in technology, new roles and skills emerge. To fill the positions, one an experience in a function to provides the best services leading to better performances. To fill these positions, people need to experience a feature to provide the best service for better performance. The lack of skilled labor in the population makes it difficult to work effectively.

Workplace DiversityThe labor force comes from different places, but as they join the company, they have to actively and effectively contribute to a common goal. The factors that make workplace diversity a challenge for construction companies are: Language and Communication; Gender Equality; Cultural Differences.

Language and CommunicationWorkplace diversity leads to communication and language challenges, which affect construction companies as a conversation is one of the most critical competencies required for high performance (Burkard, Boticki, and Madson, 2002). Communication is essential in production; hence workers need proper language setup to enhance communication. According to (Hoezen, Reymen and Dewulf, 2006), the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction process strongly depend on the quality of communication. Different backgrounds of workers create the communication barrier due to the existence of diverse languages and ethics. In order to produce effectively, diversity must be accommodated and methods designed for effective communication. Language and communication challenges may arise due to diverse cultures and setups. The difference makes it challenging for construction companies to hire its workers as consolidating them is difficult. Construction companies are project-based; hence communication is vital for its operations. Diverse languages limits project efficiency and competencies, leading to low performances.

Gender EqualityDiversity sources may be treating technological and project-based work as masculine; hence companies are limited to preferring a particular gender to the other, even if one is competent enough (Emuze, Smallwood and Han, 2014). Construction work involves a lot of heavy work, and since men are considered energetic, most of the work is deemed to be masculine. Therefore, the companies are limited to finding male workers, since female gender fail to accept construction jobs. According to (Sang and Powell, 2012), the construction sector is the most male-dominated sector since women who try working there experience cultural and structural barriers such as discrimination and long working hours, which quickly leads to stress. Consequently, these factors affect human resources for construction companies in France.

Substantial work appears to be for the male gender. This mentality makes the female generation shy away from working in construction companies. Furthermore, the impacts and challenges, such as harassment and limited opportunities that come with working in the sector, scare away women. Therefore, construction companies tend to employ male gender for high performance and better productivity.

Ethnic and Cultural DifferencesCultural differences reflect on human relations, ethics, and habits, which affect workers emotionally, contributing to a loss of concentration and poor performance (Mbazor and Okuoma, 2014). In national culture researches, culture difference exists in four dimensions; power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity or feminism. These differences affect human resource management and hiring due to a common goal while working in the company. A quantitative study of ten construction companies found that cultural differences affect overall company performance. Culture contributes to people’s habits and moral, which, when not well managed, affects the performance of workers. Different cultures have different beliefs that need consolidation to obtain the objectives of the company. Diversity affects the decisions of management, which directs the daily operations of the company. Also, interference of these habits and relations may affect the individuals, leading to stress, loss of determination to work, and reduced or low performance in work. Therefore, it challenges human resources in hiring its workers and finding the right people for the positions in the company.

PayrollPayment is a challenge in the construction industry, as most jobs are manual, and there are no stipulated payment amounts for each type of job (Grimshaw, 2016). Construction companies develop their different payment strategies that do not match with other firms hence irregular payment rates.

Tracking OvertimeLack of a developed technique for tracking overtime workers and dishonesty makes it challenging to get the required information for the allocation of payments (Hussin, Rahman, and Memon, 2013). Working for long hours than the stipulated time is rampant in construction companies. The long working calls for overtime payments, which use several formulas to calculate. These formulas may fail to be liked by the employees. Also, the management may not always be there to check workers’ work overtime, and those who leave early; therefore, payments may happen to nonworking individuals.

Honesty among employees may not always be trusted as people wish to get money without working for it. Dishonesty may lead some workers to provide wrong information on the time they have worked to get paid. It is also possible to pay one more or less for some work done due to improper payment calculation techniques for various roles in the construction industry. Human resource management of construction companies in Europe finds it challenging to make payments or stipulate payroll for its workers.

Late paymentsWorkers usually need their payments to be made on time; hence late payments demoralize the workforce leading to poor performance (Kazaz, Ulubeyli, and Tuncbilekli, 2012). Workers work to earn income for their needs, thus require their payments made on time. Payments made on time is also a form of motivation for the employees. Besides, late payments damage the excellent image of the company, irrespective of the causes. As workers get paid late, it reflects in the performance of the company hence damaging the image of the company.

Salaries and wages are one factor that keeps the employees working. When payments are delay, workers lose interest in the companies hence poorly perform their roles compared to punctual payments. Motivation is vital in human resource management. As workers get guaranteed prompt payments, they get the interest to work more and perform best hence increasing productivity.

Misclassifying EmployeesEmerging roles in the technological basis lack a specific classification in the companies’ human resources hence lack a particular evaluation of their payments (Grimshaw, 2016). Misclassification is a growing concern, especially in developed countries, including France. It is an act punishable by law but conducted to reduce the costs and taxes incurred to the government. It occurs when employee classification occurs under independent contracts rather than governmental workers. Companies should avoid misclassification to operate well since such crimes may lead to a negative impact on the company.

Emerging roles due to changing operations in construction industries have led to a lack of knowledge on how to classify the functions. Some companies also misclassify contractors to reduce the costs paid to the government. However, these acts negatively impact the companies due to changes they have to make in case legal requirements need to be followed. Evaluating payments is a challenge for most of the companies.

Research Design

The quantitative research approach emphasizes statistical analysis of the data collected. It involves numbers and actual data used during surveys to get findings and results or obtain the objectives of the research. Therefore, the data collection method of physical observation and investigation is helpful to the accuracy and reliability of the research results.

3.1 ObservationsData on some of the challenges of construction companies such as health and safety issues and workplace diversity could quickly occur through observation (Kawuliwich, 2005). Observations provide quantification and measurement based on actual acts seen. Therefore, analysis is done based on the observation approach is valid and represents real facts of construction company challenges. According to (Mohammed and Edwards, 2017), observation of workers and construction companies’ management provides information on the challenges faced in the work environment. It is more reliable than the assumed data.

Data on construction companies’ challenges, such as physical risks, can only be collected through observation of the operations of companies. Observing gives more reliable information than replies given by the workers or the company management as they may as well lie to protect their image. The observed issues also reflect though the performance of the company.

SurveysSurveys provide an actual, broad perspective and reliable statistical data from research conducted on a sample of the construction workforce population (Carrillo, 1994). Surveys depend on a sample of people in the society, giving information on a given subject. A review may occur using questionnaires and interviews on the part of the targeted population. Inquiries include short questions for the target sample to answer. Mbazor and Okuoma (2014) used an observation approach to research on the multicultural workforce. The findings gotten supported that cultural diversity affects workers, and the environment influences the health and safety of workers. Surveys give appropriate information on the state of construction companies.

The survey research approach also provides analytical and statistical findings that are convenient. Interviews and questionnaires provide first-hand information from those who encounter problems in the study of finding challenges that affect construction company employees. Also, data collection from various companies ensures information analyzed represents most of the companies in the industry and not only one specific one, make the data more general and extensive..

Data AnalysisAfter data collection, analysis has to take place to examine or study the data to extract relevant information that makes the findings. The research question acquires answers through the investigation.

Statistical AnalysisThe data acquired was in respect to the research question- to find the critical human resource challenges facing the construction companies in France. According to Alhajeri (2011), a questionnaire on safety and health problem challenge showed that 69% of the companies had no written policies, while only 31% had laid out strategies. This analysis indicated that health and safety issue is a challenge for most of the construction companies, and some companies are trying to prevent loses through the development of policies to protect its workers. Nevertheless, the number of companies is still less.

According to Bukard & Madson (2002), research on diversity indicates that most of the construction companies are affected by language and cultural diversities in its human resource strategies of hiring. France consists of various ethnic groups, including Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages; hence the people in the population are mixed up. Therefore, while acquiring workers in the company, construction human resource management has to consider diversity issues and, after hiring, ensure that communication is enhanced and workers work to achieve the same goal. The research supports the fact that diversity affects human resource management in construction companies.

The researchers used in this review indicate that safety and health issues, diversity, and payroll are the key human resource issues that affect construction companies in France, research report indicates 47% of accidents and injury challenges, which is lower than other researches; also, psychological strains were reported at 60.4% due to low wages, anxiety, and repetitive work. The feeling of unsatisfaction and in most of the high-performance expectations are the significant causes of psychological risks among workers (Tiwany and Nayak 2013). The results showed that accidents are a regular occurrence in construction industries and that psychological risks affect most of the workers.

Skilled workers problem has been increasing in most of the researches conducted due to fewer people joining construction training facilities. The shortage rate is above 60%, which shows that the challenge is too high, and soon, there would be no skilled construction machine operators in the job market (Brixiova, Li and Yousef, 2009). New technology is the leading cause of untrained workers as it keeps changing and developing, but with fewer people willing to learn the new operations. Thus, there is a huge gap in construction skills.

However, these challenges may reduce by developing strategies for sustainable development (Hussin, Rahman, and Memon, 2013). Human resource is the most contributing factor to the performance of construction companies in France. Therefore, suggestions to develop payroll strategies, have health and safety standards, and find ways to handle diversity. Such acts reduce the frequency of challenges faced by construction companies. Establishing an effective management system that incorporates different cultural backgrounds is vital in the achievement of a successful project (Kivrak, Ross, Arslan and Tunkan, 2009). Understanding and accepting the challenges affecting the country helps to overcome the problems by thinking critically to solve the issues.

ConclusionThe main challenges faced by human resources in construction industries are health and safety risks, lack of skilled workforce, diversity, and payment rate issues for the workers. Construction companies rely on the efforts of workers to achieve their objectives. The human resource is the main factor of production along with the funds. The first issue, health, and safety issues, maybe physical risks or injuries caused by chemicals used in the construction materials and psychological risks caused by stress at work. Secondly, the lack of skilled labor is on the rise in France as companies fail to get trained people in construction skills. Technology is its primary cause, as knowledge of development is scarce. Thirdly, diversity in the workforce due to language and communication barriers, gender inequality, and diverse ethnic groups create a barrier for continuity of operations as communication is essential in performing every activity. Also, the fourth challenge lies in payroll due to lack of payment strategy, misclassifying of workers, and late payments to workers. The researchers used a quantitative approach to answer their research question and to find solutions to the challenges of construction companies in its human resources.

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1

Contents

Human Resource Challenges Facing Construction Companies In France

Research ObjectivesTo identify the challenges faced by human resource management in hiring and managing employees in France construction companies.

To determine the specific factors creating those issues and how to manage them, to ensure productivity.

To Assess emerging issues in contemporary human resource that affects the flow of operations in construction companies.

To explore the possible recommended solutions to solve human resource management challenges in construction companies.

Research Road Map and Main Argument

The major HRM issues faced by most European based construction companies include health safety issues, finding skilled labor, workplace diversity, and payroll issues (Hussin, Rahman and Mamun, 2013). In trying to assess these issues, the literature review will evaluate the previous research related to the same in order to gain more insights regarding these concepts and later present a research design for further study.

This is mean that the major HRM challenges facing the construction industry in Europe today include health and safety problems, getting qualified workforce, diversity in the workplace, and salaries and wage payments.

Psychological Risks

High skill is n in providing a quality service of a product. This requirement ensures the importance of hiring qualified staff in the construction companies to get excellent performance. As the industry is improving, with new designs, improved materials, and, most significant advancement in technology, new roles and skills emerge. To fill the positions, one an experience in a function to provides the best services leading to better performances. To fill these positions, people need to experience a feature to provide the best service for better performance. The lack of skilled labor in the population makes it difficult to work effectively.

Misclassifying EmployeesEmerging roles in the technological basis lack a specific classification in the companies’ human resources hence lack a particular evaluation of their payments (Grimshaw, 2016). Misclassification is a growing concern, especially in developed countries, including Europe. It is an act punishable by law but conducted to reduce the costs and taxes incurred to the government. It occurs when employee classification occurs under independent contracts rather than governmental workers. Companies should avoid misclassification to operate well since such crimes may lead to a negative impact on the company.

Research Design

Statistical AnalysisThe data acquired was in respect to the research question- to find the critical human resource challenges facing the construction companies in Europe. According to Alhajeri (2011), a questionnaire on safety and health problem challenge showed that 69% of the companies had no written policies, while only 31% had laid out strategies. This analysis indicated that health and safety issue is a challenge for most of the construction companies, and some companies are trying to prevent loses through the development of policies to protect its workers. Nevertheless, the number of companies is still less.

According to Bukard & Madson (2002), research on diversity indicates that most of the construction companies are affected by language and cultural diversities in its human resource strategies of hiring. Europe consists of various ethnic groups, including Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages; hence the people in the population are mixed up. Therefore, while acquiring workers in the company, construction human resource management has to consider diversity issues and, after hiring, ensure that communication is enhanced and workers work to achieve the same goal. The research supports the fact that diversity affects human resource management in construction companies.

The researchers used in this review indicate that safety and health issues, diversity, and payroll are the key human resource issues that affect construction companies in Europe , research report indicates 47% of accidents and injury challenges, which is lower than other researches; also, psychological strains were reported at 60.4% due to low wages, anxiety, and repetitive work. The feeling of unsatisfaction and in most of the high-performance expectations are the significant causes of psychological risks among workers (Tiwany and Nayak 2013). The results showed that accidents are a regular occurrence in construction industries and that psychological risks affect most of the workers.

Conclusion

Wireless and Mobile Computing

Student’s Name

Affiliation

Course

Date

Introduction

802.11b is a wireless LAN (WI-FI) standard that belongs to a group of wireless networking standards that are commonly referred to as the 802.x.The 802.x standard is divided into several series that cover both physical and data-link aspects of networking. Examples of networking standards under the 802.x series include 802.1, 802.2, 802.5, 802.3, 802.4, 802.6, 802.11c 802.11n. 802.11b wireless standard is used for wireless internet purpose mainly to connect to the internet or a network wirelessly. These networking standards have been used in personal computers or home networks and internet “hotspots” found in various locations such as restaurants, coffee shops, shopping malls and public parks. Various devices use the 802.11b standard to facilitate wireless networking or communication. Some of these devices include personal computers via the 802.1b card, wireless routers which use the standard to establish or set up access points and other hand held devices.

Coding in the 802.11b is done through system that is referred to as binary convolution coding. This coding system uses a 64-state Binary Convolution Code (BCC) and a cover sequence. The coding process involves encoding the output of the Binary Convolution Code (BCC) jointly into I and Q channel. The incoming data is first encoded with a Binary Convolution Code, after which application of a cover code is done to the encoded data. The encoded data is only transmitted to the channel after a cover code has been applied (Kurose & Ross, 2010). Modulation in 802.11b standard is done through a scheme known as the PBCC Modulator Scheme. In this scheme, information is first fed into an encoder that uses error control coding method. This error control coding then sends two bits for every one bit of data or information. The coded information is then fed or directed into a cover map. The cover map used in the 802.11b is known as Quadrature Phase Shift Key (QPSK).The QPSK cover map subsequently sends the appropriate bits to the I and Q channels (Gast ,2005).

In 802.11b standard, the position of the bits on the real/imaginary planes is determined by the cover sequence. Four different modulations are supported by the 802.11b standard. Basic access rates characterized by 1mbit/s use DQPSK modulation, in enhanced access rates with 2mbit/s, DQPSK CCK modulation is normally embraced. Finally high access rates use DQPSK CCK modulation (Gast, 2005).

802.11b supports a maximum data rate of 11mbps.This is a rate better than that of the traditionally used Ethernet that had a maximum data rate of 10mbps.However, comparing the 802.11b to newer networking standards reveals that it performs slower than the new standards such as the 802.11g standard and even the Fast Ethernet. The 802.11b is also prone to wireless interference. This results from the transmission of unregulated 2.4GHz frequency. This standard is mainly affected by radio interference from devices such as codeless telephones, garage door openers and microwave ovens (Gast, 2005).

The 802.11b standard divides the spectrum into channels so that multiple access points can each be set to different channels and are able to work closely without interference. Though the 802.11b data rate of 11mbps is higher than that of the traditional Ethernet and the 802.11a, this rate is distant dependent. As the distance increases, the data rates also decrease. It therefore requires access points at every 300 feet in each direction making it inferior to newer networking technologies such as the 802.11g standard whose graph data rate falls to 6mbps as the distance increases to 180 feet. The 802.11b standard is asymmetrical .The up linking and down linking operations is handled differently and independently in order to achieve high data rates.

Conclusion

The IEEE 802.11b standard is therefore capable of handling more users and this makes it able to serve in more demanding applications such as wireless multimedia video transmission as well as in broadcast MPEG.

References

Kurose, J & Ross. (2010). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach. Pearson Education

Gast, M. (2005). 802.11 Wireless Network. New York: O’Reilly Publishers

WMCSA ’99 Second IEEE Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications, February

25-26, 1999, New Orleans, Louisiana: proceedings. (20021999). Los Alamitos, CA:

IEEE Computer Society.

taxing_systems-1

Taxing System in United States of America

Student Name

Professor’s Name

Course

Date

Distinguish between proportional and progressive taxes

The taxing system involves the proportional and progressive taxes. Proportional taxes are also called flat taxes. Proportional taxes are taxes imposed on low, middle, as well as high income earners almost equally. On the other hand, progressive taxes have less impact on low-income earners and high financial impact on high-income people and businesses.

Proportional Taxes

Also known as flat taxes, proportional taxes assess the same tax rate to everyone that pays taxes, without considering the taxpayer’s income or wealth. Proportional taxes are meant to bring a sense of equality between average tax rate paid and marginal tax rate. This means every taxpayer pays a certain percentage of tax without considering the amount of income earned. For example, a 10% rate is fixed so that it neither increases nor decreases although the income is subject to rise or falls. This means a person with a salary of $20,000 annually shall end up paying $2,000 using a proportional tax while another one with annual salary of $200,000 ends up paying $20,000 in taxes. Classical examples of proportional taxes include gross receipts taxes, per capita taxes, and occupational taxes.

Progressive Taxes

An example of a progressive tax system is the current federal income tax. In this system, the proportion of tax liability is set in a special way so that the tax rises as the income rises. Progressive taxes are set in a way that facilitates the wealthy and high-income earners to offer more taxes than the low and middle class earners. Example of this tax system is the estate taxes that clearly show that the wealthy taxpayers pay greater tax rates than low income and middle class groups.

What is the difference between the Federal income tax on individuals and that imposed on corporations?

Federal Individual Income Tax

This tax is imposed on the income of U.S. citizens as well as resident aliens. The citizens and residents of U.S. are taxed based on worldwide income. On the other hand, nonresidents are taxed based on their income within the jurisdiction. For federal individual income tax, the taxable income is calculated by subtracting allowable deductions minus total income (Thomas and Emmanuel, 2007). Individuals can deduct personal allowance as well as certain personal expenses like state taxes, home mortgage interest, and contribution to charity among others. However, some deductions are limited. Taxpayers assess their income tax by the use of filing tax returns. The set deadline for people to file tax returns is April 15th. The taxing jurisdiction can adjust the tax as determined by taxpayers.

Federal Corporation’s Income Tax

This is tax levied on corporations or analogous legal entities. Most nations impose the federal corporation’s tax at the national level although it is possible to impose it at state as well as local levels. Most countries tax local corporations operating in the country based on income from that country. The company taxable income is calculated just like the calculations of taxable income for individuals. However, some jurisdictions demand that calculations for company’s tax be different from the calculations used to calculate individual tax. Corporate tax is imposed on net profits of the companies. There are exceptions that cannot be taxed such as corporate acts like reorganizations.

List an advantage and a disadvantage of using the U.S. Tax Court as the trial court for Federal tax litigation.

The U.S. Tax Court mainly deals with settling disputes over federal income tax. The U.S. tax Court is not answerable to any branch of government like the executive because it is an independent body (Section 441, 2016). In a district court, the trial is by jury. The U.S. tax court operates differently such that one must not pay the tax before litigating the controversy although this means that interest is due on an unpaid deficiency. The U.S. Tax Court is a very popular forum as most people believe the judges here are experts when it comes to tax matters. The Tax Court has an advantage in that a client need not pay the tax before litigating the controversy. The disadvantage is that there is a chance for delay before the case is decided. In addition, the case is never heard before a jury.

Where can you locate a published decision of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims?

The federal reporter reports cases laws in U.S. and is published by West Publishing. The federal reporter is part of the National Reporter System and is also the medium where decisions of U.S. Court of Federal Claims are published (Martin, 1999). In addition, the federal reporter also publishes the decisions of U.S. Court of Appeals.

Heather, age 12, lives in the same household with her mother, grandmother, and uncle.

Who can qualify for the dependency exemption? Who takes preference?

When a child qualifies for exceptions for many persons, only a single individual can have the kid as the qualifying child to take the subsequent benefits such as the child tax credit, exception for the child, and earned income credit. The benefits cannot be shared between people unless there are two different qualifying children. There are tiebreaker rules that determine who has the child as a qualifying child. First, the child’s parent is the first priority and the child acts as the qualifying child to him or her before other parties are considered. Special circumstances that can change the status of the parent as the first priority includes when a parent lives with two people who both apply for the same benefits citing the same child as the qualifying child. In this case, some factors are considered like who has the higher income.

What is the purpose of the constructive receipt doctrine?

The constructive receipt plays a major role when assessing taxpayers. In fact, the constructive receipt mandates a taxpayer with liability for income, even if the income has not been received physically (Samuel, 2007). The receipt ensures taxpayers do not defer tax on income not yet spent. Therefore, the principle of taxing income before the taxpayer receives it is termed as the Doctrine of Constructive Receipt.

Under what circumstances may a taxpayer deduct a rental loss associated with a vacation home?

Taxpayers can claim deductions basing the argument on a primary residence as well as a vacation or a second home. More deductions are available when a person owns a second home although the process requires more effort. For instance, when a person devotes some personal use time, the vacation residence produces major tax savings. The second home’s property tax payments and mortgage interests are tax deductible (J.K. Lasser, 2015).

Edna incurs various legal fees in obtaining a divorce. What type of expenses associated with the divorce are deductible by Edna and which are not?

One cannot deduct legal fees involved in divorces, alimony, or related expenses (Julian, 2014). The operating rules states that deductions for the cost incurred through obtaining personal advice or counseling are prohibited. Although these expenses are incurred in the process of arriving at a financial settlement, they are nondeductible, a restriction that only the U.S. Supreme Court upholds. This is because the claims by spouses attempting divorce come from the individual’s personal marital relationships as opposed to coming from anyone’s income generating actions.

Hubert, a self-employed taxpayer, is married and has two children. He has asked you to explain the tax and nontax advantages of creating a Health Savings Account (HSA) for him and his family.

The Medicare Modernization Act was signed to law in 2003 by President George W Bush. The Act provided for the formation of tax-free savings vehicle that helps people fund their healthcare expenses. What the administration was shooting for was providing better access to healthcare. The savings were intended to replace MSA’s in providing health coverage via the use of tax-free savings. However, for eligibility, a person had to be covered under HDHP.

What impact does a home equity loan have on taxable income?

Home equity loans provide homeowners with the chance to borrow money by using equity in their homes as leverage. Home- equity loans come with certain interests to be paid. This interest is deductible, which is an advantage to the consumer. Therefore, consumers can get a single payment, tax benefits as well as lower interest rates.

References

J.K. Lasser, (2015). Tax News: Vacation Homes from a Tax Perspective. Retrieved April 31, 2016 from http://www.jklasser.com/news/vacation-homes-from-a-tax-perspective/

Julian, B. (2014). What’s Deductible for Legal Fees When Couples Divorce. HuffpostDivorce. Retrieved April 30, 2016 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julian-block/whats-deductible-for-lega_b_4714616.html

Martin, B. (1999). In Defense of Unpublished Opinions 60, Ohio St. L.J., p. 177

Samuel, A, D. (2007). Federal Income Taxation of Individuals: Cases, problems and Material, 353. 2nd ed.

Section 441 of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, Division Q of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. (2016). Signed into Law by President Barrack Obama on December 18, 2015.

Thomas, P., & Emmanuel, S. (2007). How Progressive is the U.S. Federal Tax System? A Historical and International Perceptive. Journal of Economic Perspective 21 (1): 23-24

Learning Diary

Skills for business

Tutor: Keeshon

HOCHUN/WONG (Henry)

CEG08109970

2407 words

This learning diary is presented by a student who studying undergraduate Foundation Program in on campus London and therefore preparing for university. It is an essay show of what the student has learned in the completed sections of his or her undergraduate course. The preparation for the learning diary is for purpose of reflection can help the student to assess and assess his or her experience throughout the course. The framework of introspective diary is periodic, which helps to review students’ learning habits repeatedly. The objective of this learning diary is to understand what has been learned in the last two terms and the areas the student should focus on to improve his or her learning experiences before graduating from oncampus London. A diary helps in learning from the past through things that were either done correctly or wrongly and carefully planning. Therefore, this reflective diary is a description of the presentation, the CSR essay and the exams.

Section 1

Presentation Skills (Marketing Mix Presentation)

Description and Feelings

The presentation that was focusing on the marketing mix with the example of Cathay Pacific Airways business class section. The presentation was excellent, and feel high level of confidence from the presenter. The details of the presentation required that the student should research the marketing mix on a specific company and specific item or service of interest. It meant carrying out secondary research analysis on the information provided on Cathay Pacific Airways that help in the development of the presentation. The main challenge experienced in the research was getting the information related to Cathay Pacific Airway’s marketing mix. But, the available content is straightforward and contains a description of the company’s marketing mix. During the presentation process, curiosity and the desire to find new information about the company are part of the experience This process is very important for developing English learning skills and knowledge. The long process of conducting research and creating presentation slide is feel boring. Opposite to the expectation is the fact that the presentation was not similar to that of a company creating a new product or service. Therefore, it helped in the development of the feeling that the research was easier than expected.

Reflection (Evaluation and Analysis)

The presentation on the marketing mix clearly presented its four main features, the history of the company and what the company is doing. It is the part of the presentation that was Very good, so I have more deep understanding of the company. A significant limitation of this presentation is that it does summarize bad time control as an aspect of the marketing mix. This shows that the research was only conducted on some small and important side of the company. Missing such important details leads to insufficient conclusions on the subject under study. During the research, paying close attention to those sides which related to the company’s core values is a major strength. Additionally, the primary research conducted with a questionnaire was part of the marketing mix presentation. A significant disadvantage of the presentation is the lack of a detailed description of the company’s marketing mix. Each side of the marketing mix is presented briefly without a description. However, the overall experience in the process of conducting the research and presentation have a major impact on knowledge development throughout the course. The acquired research-based knowledge will be applied in conducting research-based projects. Additionally, because the company is one of the leading air transportation providers across the world, it has acquired a lot of knowledge about the company.

An example of poor performance is the overlap between the questionnaire and the Secondary research. It does not clearly distinguish between the results of the questionnaire survey and secondary research. The presentation also fail to provide a detailed explanation of the findings of the research methods. In presenting a research report on the findings, it is important to give a clear guideline that gives the reader an opportunity for easy analysis (Pennington 2013, p. 97). Relevant titles and subtitles must be used to distinguish the content of each research method. In order to improve this, review how to use various methods and methods to display the research results. Additionally, comments on existing literature that can guide research and skills development help keep reports relevant. Also, more research will be conducted on the best presentation skills that will aid in developing better presentation. Therefore, the entire research project and presentation will help in generating useful experience for future study in the university. It will be a great help in the process of undertaking university studies that mainly entails conducting research projects and essay. Although there still some mistakes in the presentation, but the outlined improvements will still improve the quality of future research project presentations.

Section 2

Argumentation and Academic Essay Writing (CSR Essay)

Description and Feelings

CSR essay is kind of a research project base on example of multiple companies. The theme of this article is “Corporate Social Responsibility” and is used by different leading companies. During the given period, it is also written using the required number of words. Therefore, to reach the required level of the paper, it needs to be highly valued. The main challenge encountered in the process of conducting research is the lack of understanding of the concept of corporate social responsibility and related concepts. Therefore, it increases the need for more research to promote a more general understanding of CSR issues. However, the existing literature provides a simple understanding of the concept. With the development and enhancement of subject knowledge, the process is also full of satisfaction. The most flattering aspect of writing this article is its contribution to subject knowledge. It also applies simple and understandable concepts. The most incredible thing about writing this article is the frustrating process of citing CSR strategies of different companies. Regarding the development of the paper, it is expected that the paper does not have to follow any type of format. Contrary to expectations, the paper follows a specific format. Curious to learn more about the format of the paper.

Reflection (Evaluation and Analysis)

This article contains corporate social responsibility reports for such as company as Virgin Atlantic, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Disney-Mickey Mouse and Friends book. Presenting images related to the organization’s CSR issues is considered excellent. However, this article does not provide detailed information on how these companies implement their CSR and their effectiveness. This article is considered very brief and provides limited information on the subject. The advantage of essay writing is absolute understanding of the topic. After conducting research to collect knowledge on the topic of CSR, the information obtained is very useful for the development of CSR by the relevant organizations. The disadvantage is that the scope of the requirements of this article is limited, and it is impossible to describe the CSR strategies of related companies in depth. The process of researching and identifying CSR issues related to the different companies being studied is both exhausting and time-consuming. This means opening the official websites of these organizations to get first-hand information about CSR issues. Although the website provides CSR information for the organization, the information is usually short and does not provide a detailed view of the entire topic. The examples of issues related to corporate social responsibility presented in the paper are wrong and disrupt the necessary development and structure of the paper. After introducing the corporate social responsibility of these companies, these examples should appear at the end of this article.

The general structure of the essay was unorganized evident in the presentation of images without giving a relevant explanation. Thus, it fails to direct the reader into what the essay presents about the topic. Essay writing involves following a predetermined structure that helps in the analysis and evaluation (Kılıç, Genç and Bada 2016, p. 108). Thus, a good presentation of an essay implies a good organization in the structure and development of the ideas being addressed. In the presentation of an essay that gives an overview of the topic, images are suitable, but it does enable the writer to gain a good understanding of the topic. Therefore, the use of images should be accompanied by relevant explanations that provide the reader with an in-depth understanding of the topic. To achieve significant improvements in what was not done well entails numerous tasks ranging from conducting online research and the use of library materials that guide on essay writing and presentation. Additionally, the search for information using relevant websites such as Harvard business reviews and official news websites is significant in acquiring information on issues related to well-known companies across the globe. It is also necessary to focus on the areas that were conducted well and focus on ways for further improvement. It entails conducting more research on the company’s most recent images related to their CSR issues and strategies. The overall experience acquired in the process of researching and writing this essay is fundamental in conducting more essays, both in the undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The technique of presenting while giving relevant and detailed information is a basic technique that helps in writing most course-work activities.

Section 3

Exam Preparation and Exam Taking Skills

Description and Feelings

Was carefully prepare before all the exam take place in the center or online. Most students feel worried and scared about the exam coming up and the process of exam preparation. However, the completion of the exams outstanding a feeling of contentment for having prepared well for the exams. It is a little difficult to solve the problem based on the calculation of statistical data. However, the theoretical part of these issues is straightforward and self-explanatory. Understanding the requirements of the question is a key element to find out the correct answer. The most likable thing about preparing and handling exams is that it brings more knowledge and understanding than you learn from a tutor. And the most unlikable thing is you only have limited preparation time. Therefore, it is important to review everything which might content inside the exam paper carefully. The exams came out contrary to the expectations of being difficult to answer, and turned out simple and hence resulting in profound happiness

Reflection (Evaluation and Analysis)

Explanations and descriptions are considered as most important part of excellent performance of the exam. Fully prepare the model of the learning content in the course, which helps to achieve excellent results on theoretical issues. However, I think that the skills of using special formulas to calculate are poor. Personal power to learn and master theoretical concepts helps to perform well on statements-based problems. However, poor skills to understand and master technical statements, especially those related to calculations, resulting in very poor test results in this section. The process of preparing and conducting an exam is very useful because it requires us careful personal learning and analysis, which helps to collect important knowledge from what we learn from tutor. This experience also challenges people to conduct more personal research and broaden the areas they rarely understand. Individual studies provided a self-efficient framework that can accommodate the required learning opportunities and plan (Yeager et al 2014, p. 559). This also reduces the tendency to rely on the course tutor to provide all the answers needed for student questions. Also, forming discussion groups, whether they are physical groups or online groups, can help improve exam and learning performance by sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas of what we learn from oncampus as some time teacher might provide information of the exam which we did not fully understand.

It is possible to enhance the understanding of different models by conducting more research and developing research questions, thereby further improving outstanding performance such as theoretical issues. By reviewing the content of classroom teaching, learning and performance skills can be improved. Exam preparation and the overall learning experience of the exam help to predict the future needs of the course work. It gives the impression that in order to complete the good grades of the course, more individual learning is needed. Sometimes, students think that the details provided by some classrooms are not worth modifying because they seem to be irrelevant to the course requirements. This is wrong because all aspects of the course are likely to be tested in the exam. It is also important to pay attention to the details provided by the tutor. These details may be small and will help the overall performance of the exam. Worried about failing the exam, people have to study harder in order to be fully prepared to solve the exam problems. This experience will help future university studies, because more time will be allocated to individual studies, which greatly contributes to the scores during the exam. Students are always encouraged to use library materials and online content on research topics. It can not only make people have enough understanding of the subject, but also improve the overall academic performance. In addition, exam preparation techniques such as commenting and developing content summaries are important for knowledge development in future learning.

In summary, reflective writing requires reflection based on the results of the process and the evaluation process. Reflective learning is essential because it provides directions for learning experiences and areas that require significant improvement. Some people say, “Experience is the best teacher,” and individuals will learn from past experience. These experiences can help them pay more attention on the right and wrong, and adjust on this base. This reflective dairy product provides a fair and impartial assessment of the assessment conducted this semester. Therefore, it outlines the achievements and failures encountered during the learning and examination process.

Reference List

Kılıç, M., Genç, B. and Bada, E., 2016, Topical structure in argumentative essays of EFL learners and implications for writing classes. Dell ve Dilbilimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 12(2), pp.107-116.

Pennington, M.C., 2013. Electronic media in second language writing: An overview of tools and research findings. In New perspectives on CALL for second language classrooms (pp. 81-104). Routledge.

Yeager, D.S., Henderson, M.D., Paunesku, D., Walton, G.M., D’Mello, S., Spitzer, B.J. and Duckworth, A.L., 2014. Boring but important: A self-transcendent purpose for learning fosters academic self-regulation. Journal of personality and social psychology, 107(4), p.559.

Similarities and differences between Rand six step model and Leppitt seven step model

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Name:

Institutional affiliation:

Date:

Similarities and differences between Rand’s six step model and Leppitt’s seven step model

The first similarity between these two models of change management is their treatment of urgency. Rand’s model emphasizes the need for urgency in step one by pointing out the need to act in the present while Leppitt’s model does the same in step three. Herein, Leppitt poses the question of when the right time to act is stimulating the parties involved to think in terms of urgency (Kearney-Nunnery, 2012). In addition, both models insist on research into the problem area that has necessitated change with a view to identifying the problem areas. This is an important step as outlined in step two of both Rand and Leppitt’s model. Finally, from a similarities perspective, both models call for follow up action after change is initiated to make sure the process was successful.

Differences between Rand’s six-step model and Leppitt’s seven-step model start of in the number of steps each model recommends for effective change to occur. Rand uses six steps while Leppitt uses seven. In addition, change through Leppitt’s model takes more time to work as compared to that effected through Rand’s model. This is mainly caused by the fact that Leppitt’s model works only for organizations whose workers are ready for change (Cameron & Green, 2012). The most crucial difference between these models is their application in terms of organizational structure. Rand’s six-step model is fairly straightforward and does not depend on the nature of the organization executing change. On the other hand, Leppitt’s model is more elaborate and effects more structures within the organization during execution.

Organizations that suffer from the complexities of complexity in their structure and operation would benefit more from Leppitt’s seven-step model as it outlines in detail the best approach to managing change in organizations. Those that are small and simpler in terms of organizational structure should settle for Rand’s model. In addition, and depending on the exact objectives of change, Leppitt’s model provides a better opportunity at success in adopting change in instances where resources management and timeliness of the process of change are critical. This is best exemplified in buy-offs and mergers. Vision statements and strategic plans

Vision statements provide the organization with a bearing on which to concentrate all organizational resources and effort in order to succeed. Varma et al. (2008) states “that the organization’s vision statement needs to be aligned with its strategic plans so that the two guide all a firm’s efforts towards achieving success” (pg. 47). However, some organizations are not prudent in lining up both vision statement and strategic plans leading in discrepancies between the organization’s actual achievement and its original targets.

The first way this can be avoided is using performance reviews. As part of performance management processes, these procedures seek to analyze the position of an organization’s performance in relation to that set out in its strategic or annual plans. In case of any problems, remedial action is adopted. The same can be applied to this sensitive issue of strategic goals and vision statements. Midway into the organization’s operational period, an analysis of its achievements and trends and subsequent comparison of the same with its vision statement could identify any issues. Afterward, remedial action could be designed and applied to the cases in point.

Secondly, since the vision statements form the main guideline for the organization’s workers towards success, the same could be extrapolated for use in optimizing the organization’s strategic plans. Most vision statements rely on mobilizing the organization’s workers to use its resources to achieve certain objectives meaning that with enough incentives, this could easily be married into the organization’s strategic plan for both short and long-run planning purposes.

References

Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2012). The underpinning theory. In Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change (p. 125 ). London: Kogan Page.

Kearney-Nunnery, R. (2012). Critical abilities in Professionalism. In Advancing Your Career: Concepts of Professional Nursing (p. 125). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Varma, A., Budhwar, P. S., & DeNisi, A. S. (2008). Motivation and performance management. In Performance management systems: A global perspective (p. 47). Abingdon [England: Routledge.

Van Goghs Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh and his Starry Night

Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh and his “Starry Night”

A world-famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh created various wonderful paintings that are extremely precious and well-known today. That is why it is difficult to believe that he was a poor, unknown painter, and his contemporaries didn’t really like his works. Only after Van Gogh’s death did his paintings get the recognition and appreciation by artists and specialists that they deserve. He has been called one of the best painters of all the times and a true genuine. In 1889, Van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, which is considered his most famous painting and one of the most significant art masterpieces of the 19th century.

Painting has always been the reflection of a painter’s vision, his own style and skills; all these factors were influenced by the epoch, events, country’s traditions and an environment in which an artist created his masterpieces. Vincent Van Gogh’s life was not long: he committed suicide at the age of 47, though he managed to depict truly unforgettable images in his paintings. He left school at the age of fifteen, to pursue his dream of being an artist. In 1869, he got a position at the art dealers, Goupil and Co. in The Hague, through his uncle, and worked with them until he was dismissed from the London office in 1873. He worked as a schoolmaster in England (1876), before training for the ministry at Amsterdam University (1877). After he failed to get a post in the Church, he went to live as an independent missionary among the Borinage miners. He then traveled to Paris (1886) and lived with his brother, Theo. (Artchive, 1). Van Gogh received some training from his cousin, but he was mostly a self-taught artist.

For about ten years Van Gogh created numerous paintings, however he sold only one picture during his lifetime. So, it’s no wonder that he suffered a lot of hardships, including psychological problems. As a result, he voluntarily went into to a mental hospital, where he lived almost until his death in and where he created one of his best works – The Starry Night. There was no patron for this work of art, however he did paint a similar one for Emile Bernard, in 1888. Even though Van Gogh only worked as an artist for 10 years, he managed to paint more than 600 paintings and 1000 drawings (Crispino, 2001). He was a strange person, with unusual behaviour and loneliness, but he was a great artist, a person who could love and reveal this love for people in his paintings. He broke off from the traditional romanticism and religious ideas’, and turned to the depiction of various natural elements in an unusual manner.

Van Gogh scarcely thought of his Starry Night as an exceptional painting, but critics and artists consider it to be one of his most significant works. He later wrote, ‘exaggerations in terms of composition’ with lines ‘warped as in old woodcuts’. Van Gogh was referring to the somewhat primitive, coarse illustrations in the household edition of the works of Dickens rather than to the carefully executed wood engravings in contemporary magazines (Artchive 2). The Starry Night has been the basis for poems, fiction and even for the famous song “Starry, Starry Night” by Don McLean. In one part, the song describes it as: “Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain, Weathered faces lined in pain, Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand”. In fact, astronomers evaluated this picture and found out that it greatly resembled the real sky, in addition, they were able to define that The Starry Night was created in the town Auvers-sur-Oise (France). They were also able to reveal the exact date when Van Gogh painted it – June 16, 1889, after 7 p.m. For modern specialists it is still a mystery how Van Gogh was able to show whirling cosmic energy in the night sky so many years ago, when nothing was really known about this energy. He was able to uncover what was hidden deep in the universe, which is one reason why this picture is so treasured.

The Starry Night was created in a complex period of Van Gogh’s life, and he wrote very little about it to his brother. However, it is known that he long dreamt of creating such a picture, depicting a bright night with a whirling sky and beautiful stars. During the painting, the actions and behaviour of Van Gogh were severe and eccentric, therefore, the emotional power of this picture is greater than his other paintings (Kendall, 1998). The Starry Night in particular was an attempt by Van Gogh to create a masterpiece on a par with the very stylized work of Gauguin and Bernard. He was more determined than ever to prove himself the equal of his fellow artists, and he did. The picture has caused many debates over the years. Some specialists point at the existence of eleven stars in the picture, although this point is usually contradicted by others, it possesses some truth. It is possible that while creating The Starry Night, Van Gogh applied the story of Joseph (Old Testament), this can be seen after a careful observation of some parts of the composition (Kendall, 1998). Whatever the history of painting, it remains one of the best art works of Vincent Van Gogh. He captured the unique moments – the moments of beauty that combines a profound meaning and the artist’s vision of everything that occurred around him.

So, what are the peculiarities of Vincent Van Gogh’s painting that makes it different and outstanding from his other works? The first particular feature is the style of the painting – The Starry Night is the work of an artist’s imagination and that is why, contours of houses and stars are vague rather than clear. It is not just the depiction of the village at night. The shining sky full of sparkling stars looks so energetic and lively in comparison with a calm and lifeless village. The stars, the sky and the cypress (that is represented in the foreground) symbolize the transition from life to death, death being like a trip to the stars. It is, of course, a real night, but with imaginative elements – Van Gogh embodied his dreams, his understanding of life and death. Vincent Van Gogh thought that the imaginative features added special charm and mystery to his painting – in this way he was going to prove to himself that he was worth being called an artist. The mixture of graphic style and religious implications, it raises unusual associations and powerful emotions.

Another peculiar and important fact is that this picture was created from memory, in the asylum at Saint-Remy. Vincent preferred to paint his canvases in the fresh air (Pickvance, 1986). This fact can explain why the painting is penetrated with so much powerful emotional strength, unlike many other canvases of Van Gogh. The stars resemble fireworks, and against a background of the moving night, they seem alive, they seem to be vulnerable and passionate, making them extremely eye-catching. Such unique painting creates a beauty that is impossible to convey through concrete description, of a traditional portrayal of nature.

In the foreground of The Starry Night Van Gogh creates a village and hills that are done in the same colors as the sky that are violent, spiralling and revolving. The whole painting is characterised by the use of such whirling brushstrokes, which is why The Starry Night is so captivating. The painterly brush work contributes to the complexity of the composition. As a result, the whirling sky looks so powerful that the village and other elements of the painting appear to be less vivid, implying that nature controls everything.The Starry Night proves that brushstrokes and created elements hand in hand, and they should be regarded as an essential tool in handling the attitude of Vincent Van Gogh towards the environment. Using different technical and compositional methods, Van Gogh managed to reveal his attitude towards the universe. The Starry Night is a combination of bright and dark colors, this is done specifically by Van Gogh to point at black/dark sides of life; these colors are full of intensity and unusual richness (Jordan & Greenberg, 2001). In this painting Van Gogh managed to visually reflect the changes of good and bad, it is done so truthfully that everyone can feel them. The painter creates an unusual setting that is seen through small, almost invisible details. This painting is full of some deep emotions, contributing to the complexity of Van Gogh’s vision and thoughts. The severe lights of some parts are contrasted with tender, soft colours of the night, of the stars, and especially of the sky. In fact, some elements of The Starry Night are pictured in the most extreme forms, forms that do not exist in nature, but this reflects one’s perception of the environment. This picture unites both beauty and reality, and yet it also covers some mysterious elements and visions.

As shown in this essay, The Starry Night by Van Gogh really is one of the greatest masterpieces of all times. At the least, it is one of the most intriguing paintings I have ever seen. The history of its creation, its unique features and deep emotions is why this painting is so valuable today. Through magnificent artistic elements Van Gogh uncovers the deepest mechanisms of the environment; they allow not to speak openly, but instead to lift the veil of secrecy towards important natural beauties that people do not always see. In general, the whole composition reveals the unity of all components. Every element is closely connected with another, and if one was taken away, the unity of the picture would be destroyed.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Crispino, E. Vincent van Gogh. Peter Bedrick Books, 2001.

Jordan, S. & Greenberg, J. Vincent Van Gogh. Delacorte Books, August 14, 2001.

Kendall, R. Van Gogh’s Van Goghs. Harry N. Abrams, October 1, 1998.

Pickvance, R. Van Gogh in Saint Remy and Auvers. Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 1986.

The Artchive. http://www.artchive.com/artchive/V/van_gogh/starry_night_text.jpg.html

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