Lais of Marie de France Essay

Love and Marie de France According to American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, â€Å"The greatest love was during the Medieval Ages, when noble hearts produced a romantic love that transcended lust† (Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers [2001]). The Lais of Marie de France are primarily concerned with this idea of love–specifically, courtly love–between a man and a woman. Courtly love, a union modeled after the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord, became a popular convention in the 12th century (â€Å"Backgrounds to Romance: ‘Courtly Love’†). Instead of proving loyalty to a lord, the man would have to prove his love to a woman. Marie de France, however, focuses not just on the idea of love, but also on the differing kinds of love that existed in medieval society. She recognizes love as a force that cannot be avoided and that can be executed correctly or incorrectly; not all love is equal. Marie begins her collection of lais with the story of Guigemar, a noble knight who is cursed with the task of finding true love to heal a physical injury. This lay introduces two types of love: selfish and selfless. Selfish love is not courtly love. It lacks devotion and true loyalty. It lacks suffering and self-denial. Marie de France portrays this kind of love in the old husband of the woman whom Guigemar loves. The man locks his wife away in an enclosure guarded by a castrated man. By doing this, the husband shows a mean, limited devotion to his wife; perhaps even worse, he limits her ability to experience true love. This kind of love does not last; in fact, the husband is cuckolded when his wife has a year-long affair with Guigemar. He is made a fool, the dupe of love. Guigemar, however, in contrast to the old husband, practices selfless love. He is kind and noble, and, although he suffers from his physical wound, the pain of love is keener: â€Å" Love had now pierced him to the quick†¦for the lady had wounded him so deeply†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (De France, Marie. The Lais of Marie de France. Trans. Glyn S. Burgess and Keith Busby [L ondon: Penguin Group, 1986.Print] p.48).† This type of love most closely resembles courtly love. Guigemar endures severe anguish to please his beloved, and his undying love inspires  him to prove himself to her. This lay provides a good example of what Marie de France considers wrong and right in love. We see another selfish love in the story of Bisclavret, a man with a werewolf alter ego who is betrayed by his adulterous wife. Ironically, although her husband is physically a beast, the real beast, as portrayed by Marie de France, is the wife, who not only betrays him, but also marries another man. She is selfishly concerned with her physical desires, something Marie de France considers ignoble and far worse than the jealousy displayed in the story of Guigemar. The selfish love in this story is inspired by sexual desire, a desire that Marie de France sees as a threat to selfless love. Selfish love is again shown in the lay of â€Å"Les Deux Amanz,† in which a young man has to carry his beloved to the top of a mountain without falling in order to prove his worthiness to her father. This seems to be an act of love, but, in fact, when the woman begs her lover to take a potion that will help him reach the top, he reveals another, vainer, motivation: â€Å"These people would shout at us and deafen me their noise†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Burgess and Busby 84). In other words, his desire to reach the mountaintop is motivated at least in part by a need to prove himself to others, and less by the desire to faithfully perform a trial for his beloved. The noble purity of courtly love is not present. Characters demonstrating pure, selfless—even self-denying–devotion are portrayed throughout the lais as examples of true love. In the story of â€Å"Eliduc,† a brave, loyal knight is forced to find a new lord in another land and temporarily leave his wife, Guildeleuc. Although Eliduc meets a new love (Guilliadun), he remains faithful to his wife, demonstrating loyalty, suffering, and therefore a more pure kind of love. He finally marries Guilliadun, but only after Guildeleuc decides to give herself up to God and leave Eliduc. By letting Eliduc marry his true love, Guildeleuc also shows love in its most giving form, but in this case it is a truly spiritual love. This story thus displays two types of selfless love represented by each of his wives: love of God and the love between a man and a woman. Significantly, at the end of the lay, â€Å"He placed his beloved lady with his former wife, by whom she was received honorably as a sister, . . . â€Å" (Burgess and Busby 126). This suggests that pure love can take both a spiritual and worldly form. Central to the Lais of Marie de France, then, is courtly love. While her lais are idealistic in their portrayal of loyalty  and romantic chivalry, historically, marriages among the nobility were dispassionate and practical (Joseph Campbell). Troubadours began to introduce stories of interpersonal relationships and the possibility of romantic love. Although this kind of love directly contradicted the views of the church, it inspired people to take matters of love and relationships into their own hands (Joseph Campbell). This is what Marie de France wants to inspire–the universal knowledge of love and how imperative an aspect it remains in society. The idea is important enough to her to make her text more accessible to society. She begins her prologue by stating: â€Å"When a truly beneficial thing is heard by many people, it then enjoys its first blossom, but if it is widely praised its flowers are in full bloom†(Burgess and Busby 41). She wishes to share her insights about love to everyone, not simply to write inaccessible stories available only to philosophers or the learned. Works Cited â€Å"Backgrounds to Romance: ‘Courtly Love’† Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers [2001]. De France, Marie. The Lais of Marie De France. Trans. Glyn S. Burgess and Keith Busby. London: Penguin Group, 1986. Print.

Advantages Of City Life Essay

Sometime you may be think, the city life is better than village life. However there are so many advantages in city life. Actually the city life is more comfortable. As well as there are more opportunities for people to progress in their lives. There are a lot of facilities for people in the city and they have more opportunities for making money. Children living in the city can get a good education, because there are better schools in the town than in the village. When a person falls ill there are good government and private hospitals in the city to get treatment. There are large shop complexions, banks, offices, theaters, hostels, clubs, hospitals etc. in and around the city. People in the city have better transport facilities than the village. There is electricity, highway, communication, telecommunication, plumb facilities in the city. So people can lead a comfortable and enjoyable life in the city. Although living in the city has many advantages. Read more: Village life vs city life essay 1. People easily adapt themselves to city life; noise, traffic, etc. are hardly noticed. 2. There are many reasons why city life is preferable: there are more places for entertainment. 3. It is good to be near one’s friends and never cut off by weather conditions. 4. Life is never dull; there is always something to do. 5. There are better schools and services in big cities. 6. There are more chances for employment. There is a greater range of jobs and the pay is higher. 7. There is more opportunity to succeed in life. 8. There is more opportunity to meet a variety of interesting people. 9. Living standards are higher in cities 10. It is easier to earn more money. 11. The educational level is higher; it is a better place for children. 12. The teachers in the schools are better. 13. There is more choice of schools. 14. The shopping has a wider variety and prices are better. Although the life in the city is more comfortable than village life. village is not devolved area here we can’t get easily many facilities like transportation facilities, higher education facility, irrigation facility, electricity facility, health facility, communication facilities etc. Many peoples of village they most have done hard work in their field to produce many kind of grain production but the out come is little than their labor. They use to go long distant to take drinking water. There is no transportation facility that’s why they walk on foot to go one place to another place. Here are some disadvantages of village life no proper hospital nearby. no proper road, only dusty little paths. no shops close by. education is less available. villagers have to walk for miles to get fresh water. 1. City has many advantages over village, because city modern life facility are easily available, as telephone , gas , internet, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals,industries,factories, roads, airports, railway stations and many more, but most village are deprived of these many facilities like many villages no facility of gas, telephone , roads, etc. 2. City life is more advanced then village life, because in city you can get education facilities easily, you can find college or university of your own choice, more ever you can learn modern technologies easily in city from skilled person, but unfortunately these facilities are not easily available. 3. City people have more job opportunities have as compare to people living in villages, in city you can find job in factory or even you can start your own business, where is village is mostly agriculture based, so they mostly depend upon agriculture crops income. 4. In city you can find different health facilities like different government and private hospitals , but in village you can not find more health facilities. DISADVANTAGES OF CITY LIFE. there are some disadvantages too. The cost of living is very high in the city. Most goods are very expensive. There is no fresh air and pure water. The environment is polluted with dust, smoke, garbage and dioxide gases from factories. Most of the people who live in the city are corrupted. So there are lots of crimes in the city. Many thefts and murders often take place in the city. The city is always busy and noisy. There are a lot of vehicles and people in the road. The streets are dusty and unclean. So it is hard to lead a healthy life in the city. As well as there are so many advantages in the village life. Mainly the people of the village live in unity and peace. The villagers earn money very hard and earn money enough for live. So they live less competition with each other. So they can reach a good position. They have more friends in the community since it is small. The village people always try to protect their traditional habits and culture. The village has clean air and the environment is very beautiful. The village has less noise and rush. So the pollution is less. The village has not lot of vehicles. So roads are less dangerous for driving cycling. They can get fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. The environment of the village is pleasant and silent and it has scenic beauty. The village has not only good points, but also it has bad points. The village has intelligent people. But many people are not educated. Villager’s children go to the village’s school. They are not go to the city’s school. They have difficult to keep up with new developments in their field or profession. Same day villagers live same place. Village people have to face many difficulties for their lives , like traveling problems. They have to go to the city for supply their needs. Although the life in the city is more comfortable than village, I like village life than city. 5. But in city there are also some problems like pollution, traffic jam, tension and you have no free time to meet with relatives and friends, these problem are not found in villages, because of this village people are more healthier and energetic, because they have pure food available them no pollution problems.

Minor Disorders in Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when a woman’s body will go through numerous adaptations in order to accommodate the fetus. During these physiological adaptations, the organs such as spleen and liver and systems such as the endocrine and circulatory systems will be affected. A woman can experience minor disorders that are most likely the result of hormonal changes on the smooth muscle and connective tissues. This paper endeavours to describe some of the minor disorders in pregnancy in particular, heartburn (reflux oesophagitis), constipation, haemorrhoids, dermatoses and epistaxis.The major physiological reason for heartburn (reflux oesophagitis) in pregnancy is due to the relaxation of the LES(lower esophageal sphincter) and the decreased tone and mobility of the smooth muscles, which is caused from increased progesterone. As the fetus increases in size, pressure in the abdomen compounds, decreasing the angle of the gastroesophageal junction. This allows for oesophageal regurgitation, le ss time for the stomach to empty and reverse peristalsis (Blackburn 2007; Stables & Rankin 2010).The main symptoms of heartburn are a â€Å"burning sensation† in the chest or back of the throat. Other symptoms may include eructation, difficulty in swallowing, and an acid or metal taste in the mouth. In terms of advice, there are some standard measures that can alleviate symptoms. These include examining the woman’s diet and eliminating foods that might aggravate, eating smaller portions and more frequently, sleeping in upright positions and avoidance of eating closer to bedtime (Law et al. 2010; Vazquez 2010).Constipation is known to affect more that 40% of women during their pregnancy (Derbyshire, Davies & Detmar 2007). In looking at the physiological reason for constipation, increasing levels of progesterone affects bowel motility and reduces the peristaltic movement of the gastrointestinal tract. This is turn then increases the time food is passed through the gut ca using increases in electrolyte and subsequent absorption of water in the large intestine. Motilin a hormone that assists faeces to pass through the colon is also decreased by the levels of progesterone (Derbyshire, Davies & Detmar 2007).Constipation could also be the result of hyperemesis gravidarum (pernicious vomiting in pregnancy), or ingestion of prescribed iron tablets for anaemia (Tiran 2003). A diet rich in fibre and increasing fluid intake can help to ease some of the associated problems with constipation. Laxatives should only be used when dietary changes do not assist. In addition women should be advised that ignoring signs for defecation will compound symptoms (Jewell & Young 1996; Vazquez 2010). The levels of fibre and fluid consumed should be noted by healthcare professionals when attending to women (Derbyshire, Davies & Detmar 2007).Haemorrhoids occurs in pregnancy in 25 – 35% of women and in some populations it can reach 85% (Staroselsky et al. 2008). Haemorrho ids occur due to progesterone causing vasodilation in the ano-rectal area. In some cases there is a direct relationship between constipation and the formation of haemorrhoids. Main symptoms are itching, burning, swelling around the anus and bleeding. Pain with bowel movements and bleeding are often the first signs of haemorrhoids. As there is a close relationship between constipation and haemorrhoids, the advice given to women with regards to treatment would be similar to constipation.In (Staroselsky et al. 2008) it is stated that topical treatments and the use of laxatives can reduce symptoms. The integumentary system is no different to any of the other systems affected by physiological changes in pregnancy. There are a number of skin irritations that can cause discomfort to a woman during her pregnancy, but these do not harm the fetus. Melanocyte-stimulating hormone is increased by progesterone and oestrogen levels. Chloasma or â€Å"pregnancy mask† is one of the conditions to arise from hormone increases (Stables & Rankin 2010).Hyperpigmentation is the most common skin alteration in pregnancy. About 90% of women will develop linea nigra which is found running from the xiphoid process to the pubis. A common dermatoses found in pregnancy is a condition called PUPP (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques) The development of PUPP in pregnancy is 1 in 160 (Sachdeva 2008). This usually occurs in the primagravida in the third trimester and in rare cases in the first and second. In (Brzoza et al. 2007; Roth 2009) the reasons for PUPP is unclear but suggestions are made that maternal weight gain in primiparous women is the cause.Interestingly statistics show that 2. 9% of twin pregnancies and 14% of triplet pregnancies develop PUPP. It is thought, that abdominal distension, hormonal, autoimmune and change in partners (implication of paternal antigens) could attribute to the condition. Conditions such as Pemphigoid gestationis (PG), Intrahepatic cholestasis o f pregnancy (ICP), and Atopic eruption of pregnancy ( AEP) require the monitoring from dermatologists, obstetricians, midwives and other relevant healthcare practitioners as they do pose high risks to mother and baby (Brzoza et al. 007; Sachdeva 2008). With PUPP the main symptoms women complain of is an intense itching usually around the abdomen and in some cases breasts, upper thighs and arms. In the case of PUPP’s, the application of topical steroids, emollient creams and ointments may be applied and in severe cases oral treatments may be sought (Roth 2009). Epistaxis (nosebleeds) is considered a minor disorder but in one study has proven to be life threatening. Oestrogen rises, which causes hyperactivity of the parasympathetic nervous system which in turn causes nasal congestion.One of the other reasons is systemic blood pressure increases in pregnancy. Complications from nosebleeds is rare, but if not monitored could lead to haemorrhage (Hardy, Connolly & Weir 2008). In t his study a woman presented at 26 weeks with epistaxis but 48 hours later continued to bleed and surgery was the outcome. There is also evidence that chronic rhinosinusitis can lead to epistaxis. One study 44% of women between the ages of 26-30 and presenting in the third trimester appeared to have the highest incidence of epistaxis.It must be noted that though this study was conducted in a third world country where nourishment, hygiene and education are an issue, there are potential risks of epistaxis in pregnancy. (Purushothaman 2010) Maternal morbidity in pregnancy is very well researched and evidence based, but the impacts that minor disorders have on a woman’s family or her emotional state is not well documented. However, there is one such Australian study stating the impact on women. In (Gartland et al. 2010) it showed that 68% experienced multiple disorders which had a cumulative effect and therefore greater impact.What is interesting in the study was that women aged b etween 18-24, had a poor perception of health, socio-economic and education issues. In comparison to those older women who had stable relationships, well educated and better perception of health. The study demonstrated that a woman’s support network, access to professional advice and education can greatly impact her wellbeing and those around her. This assignment has explained the physiology and reasons for minor disorders in pregnancy. It is important that midwives and relevant healthcare professionals monitor women so as to prevent further complications to mother and child.The health and wellbeing of a mother and her unborn child is always the utmost priority of healthcare professionals. . References Blackburn, S. T. 2007, Maternal, fetal & neonatal physiology : a clinical perspective, 3rd edn, Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis, Mo. Brzoza, Z. , Kasperska-Zajac, A. , Oles, E. & Rogala, B. 2007, ‘Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy', Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 44-8. Derbyshire, E. J. , Davies, J. ; Detmar, P. 2007, ‘Changes in Bowel Function: Pregnancy and the Puerperium', Digestive Diseases and Sciences, vol. 2, no. 2, p. 324. Gartland, D. , Brown, S. , Donath, S. ; Perlen, S. 2010, ‘Women’s health in early pregnancy: Findings from an Australian nulliparous cohort study', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 50, no. 5, pp. 413-8. Hardy, J. J. , Connolly, C. M. ; Weir, C. J. 2008, ‘Epistaxis in pregnancy – not to be sniffed at! ‘, International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 94-5. Jewell, D. ; Young, G. 1996, Interventions for treating constipation in pregnancy, John Wiley ; Sons, Ltd.Law, R. , Maltepe, C. , Bozzo, P. ; Einarson, A. 2010, ‘Treatment of heartburn and acid reflux associated with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy', Can Fam Physician, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 143-4. Purushothaman, L. P. a. P. K . 2010, ‘Analysis of Epistaxis in Pregnancy', European Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 387-96. Roth, M. -M. 2009, ‘Specific Pregnancy Dermatoses', Dermatology Nursing, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 70-81. Sachdeva, S. 2008, ‘The dermatoses of pregnancy. (Review Article)', Indian Journal of Dermatology, vol. 3, no. 3, p. 103. Stables, D. ; Rankin, J. 2010, Physiology in childbearing : with anatomy and related biosciences, 3rd edn, Bailliere Tindall, Edinburgh. Staroselsky, A. , Nava-Ocampo, A. A. , Vohra, S. ; Koren, G. 2008, ‘Hemorrhoids in pregnancy', Can Fam Physician, vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 189-90. Tiran, D. 2003, ‘Product focus. Self help for constipation and haemorrhoids in pregnancy', British Journal of Midwifery, vol. 11, no. 9, pp. 579-81. Vazquez, J. C. 2010, ‘Constipation, haemorrhoids, and heartburn in pregnancy', Clinical Evidence.

CORPORATE FINANCE - ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CORPORATE FINANCE - ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example mpany is evident and the company has declared a relatively high dividend of 57p per share in the year 2008 which is a significant improvement as far as last 3 year dividends declared are concerned. All in all, our mathematical method of computing WACC suggests that GSK is highly inclined towards debt financing, which is a prime reason behind the increment in WACC. We also conclude the fact that floating interest rate due to the current economic condition reduces the WACC and also consider the company’s performance which reflects on the net income which ultimately reflects on the dividends declared. It is prime evidence of the fact that the management takes all necessary measures to reduce the cost of doing business which is a major consideration for any and every business. The operating, investing and financing activities of a company are very handy and useful information for the users of financial infrmation, such as creditors, investors, financial analysts, etc, because these activities change the financial position of the company. Let us now look upon some of the important activities that make some impression on GSK’s financial position. GSK’s management has adopted sound business strategies in order to ensure smooth and efficient running of its operational activities. These strategies have expanded the cash generation from operations to  £ 9,055m in the year 2008 in comparison to previous years. The reason behind this high figure of  £9,055 million are the two reclassifications; the cash generated from operations is  £106 million lower than that given in GSK’s unaudited or projected accounts issued on 5th February 2009. Also keeping in view that drop-off in liquid investments for the current year has been reclassified from financing activities to investing activities. Some accounting heads that create changes in the trade payables may have been a result of the growth of products that the company introduced. GSK management computes inventories on a

Art and Society - a Two-blade Sword Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art and Society - a Two-blade Sword - Essay Example Let us not forget that this step forward was often viewed as a threat to the political, social and clerical institutions. Looking into history, one of the most pertinent manners in which art was counter-attacked by art was the period of Renaissance and Baroque, when the church produced massive art just to minimize the popularity of the teaching brought by the new homo universal concept. There can be identified two types of art approaches towards society problems. The first one can be greatly noticed in the famous painting of the republican Frenchman Édouard Manet, Execution of Maximilian. This approach reveals the political oriented art that either comes from a great patriotism or from a great admiration or disapproval towards the leaders. Maximilian is a French duke left alone in Mexico after the civil war and who was finally executed together with his two generals. This deed of defiance inspired Manet to paint this "modern barbarism" painting (Stevens 10). The political message seems to be clear out in this painting, although it ignores the true social realities that were obvious in Mexico. The utmost desire was to represent the event from the French point of view and not from a legitimate and impartial one. The painting is composed of three main groups of characters: the executioners, the spectators and the victims. The spectators might seem scared because o ne system is falling and another one is rising without any connection to them. On the other hand, the relationship between the victims and the murderers seems a little strange. The executioners look bored, knowing that this is the right thing to do, as they are soldiers and their life depends on executing the jobs given. The figure that impresses us the most is Maximilian.

Financial statements Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial statements - Research Paper Example The documents that constitute the financial statements include the balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements and the statements of shareholders’ equity (Sinha, 2007). There are some aspects of relationship between these financial records. The three financial records are used to show the financial situation of the company. First, a balance sheet is a financial statement that is used to show what a company owns and what it owes to others, in terms of the assets and the liabilities of the company (USEC, 2007). The income statement is used to show the amount of money that the organization made and how much money it spent within a given financial period, which could range from monthly, to quarterly or annually. On the other hand, the cash flow statements serve to indicate the monetary exchanges that an organization has had with the outside world, within a specified duration of time. The similarity in all these financial records is that they serve to indicate the finan cial situation of the organization after its interaction with the other stakeholders, in terms of assets, revenues, liabilities and expenditures (Wahlen, Bradshaw, Baginski & Stickney, 2010). Secondly, the three financial records serve to indicate what the organization has spent to gain the property and finances it owns (USEC, 2007). The three financial records have the expenditure and the revenue components, which measure the gains and the take-away that an organization has experienced in financial terms, within a specified period of time. The balance sheets, income statements and the cash flow statements have a debit side, in which they record the expenditures and the reductions to the assets of the organization in terms of the outgoing money. The costs associated with earning either the revenues or the assets that an organization owns are shown in terms of the costs and expenditures that the organization has incurred within a specified period of time. The bottom line of these fin ancial records is to show how much an organization has made within a period of time, and how much the organization has spent within the same duration, and thus give the overall conclusion regarding whether the transactions that were undertaken by the organization during the specified period either helped to make gains or loss (Sinha, 2007). The final conclusion of the three financial records is that they accumulate all the gainful transactions and records them in terms of the amounts of money they help bring in to the organization, while recording the other transactions that serves to take away money from the organization. The two types of transactions are then summed up, and their totals compared, to determine the implication of the transactions that an organization made throughout the period, whether they are gainful or they constitute a loss. However, there is a different set of relationship between the balance sheets and the cash flow statements on one hand, and the income state ments on the other. This relationship exists in the form of adjustments, where both the balance sheets and the cash flow statement are used to adjust the income statement, through introducing certain financial aspects, which cannot be directly categorized as direct incomes or expenditures (Penner, 2004). The income statement is purely applied to

Pretzel company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pretzel company - Essay Example Mission Statement The mission statement of Angelix Pretzels is to create the finest quality hard salted pretzels with a commitment to incorporate the freshest and richest nutritional ingredients. The products of Angelix Pretzels will meet the highest standard of excellence and offer greater value to the customer with enhanced quality. Furthermore, Angelix Pretzels will also seek to respond to the changing needs of potential customers as well as offers product at competitive price. Objectives The objectives of Angelix Pretzels are as follows: To enhance profit and production without compromising product quality To generate strong sales in the city’s major supermarket chains To maintain consolidated control on cost of business operations Company History Angelix Pretzels will offer delicious and nutritious hard salted pretzel products in the market of Washington City. The company will be established as a general partnership business. The business partners will be liable for perfo rming all managerial responsibilities. In order to expand the business, Angelix Pretzels will attempt to take the advantage of demand of hard salted pretzel in the city of Washington. In order to survive in the market, the company will strive hard to build a loyal customer base. The company will be registered as Angelix Pretzels and will operate its business solely from the city of Washington. Marketing Mix In order to survive in a market any new company needs to constantly produce and deliver quality products in an increasingly sustainable way, while meeting business objectives simultaneously. Thus, in order to achieve the business objectives, Angelix Pretzels should ensure that it balances the four elements or the 4Ps of marketing mix. Product Angelix Pretzels will produce and market standard hard salted pretzels product. The standard hard salted pretzels product will be made by considering the nutritional value and health of the customers. In view of that, 1 Oz (ounce) of hard sa lted pretzels will contain 108 calories which can be further include 8% of fats, 83% of carbohydrates and 9% of protein. The common serving size of hard salted pretzels will be 1 Oz, 10 Oz and 100 Oz. Angelix Pretzels will emphasize on attaining greater profitability through increased sales of its product and critically place importance in satisfying the customers’ needs and preferences. Nowadays, people have become concerned about health related issues, and thus they desire for eating healthy food without compromising the taste. Hence, Angelix Pretzels would be very careful while using wholesome ingredients in its product. In order to maintain the quality of its product, Angelix Pretzels will prudently select its suppliers. It will ensure greater customer satisfaction (Hood and Morgan, â€Å"Marketing a Food Product: Marketing Considerations for a Small-Scale Food Processor†). Price Pricing is vital for opening any new business because price can determine the sales as well as amount of profit. In order to maintain the position in the market, Angelix Pretzels will offer its’ product at competitive price. The price fixed by the company for its product would be

SAINT LOUIS ARENA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

SAINT LOUIS ARENA - Essay Example The arena was one of the most magnificent pieces of art and architectural designs that ever saw the light of the day. It stood from the time of its construction in 1929 up to the end of the nineteenth century in 1999. During the time of its standing, it was home to one of the most notable and reputable sporting outfits and franchises of the day such as the Saint Louis Arena Blues. It is important to note and mention that the Saint Louis Arena served as a mix of site for diverse and various sporting, social and political conventions of the time. To begin with, concerts, circuses, indoor soccer matches, circuses, horse shows and political rallies were all hosted within the realms of the Saint Louis Arena. Historically, the time of the construction of Saint Louis Arena, the world and the social or cultural disposition at the time was dynamic. It was the specific time period where the African American society was clamoring for an increase in the political and social space in the society. Thus, there was a clamor by the authorities and the powers that were at that point in time to stamp their authority as a distinguishing factor. This was aimed at creating a design and building which would mark and stamp the social influence and impact of the powers that were. Tentatively, in the year, 1904 when the World Fair had just been concluded and as culture and tradition dictated, it was the time for the annual hosting of the indoor games, horse and agricultural shows. The management of the municipality of the city did tear down the Saint Louis Music hall and the Saint Louis Arena Exposition and then built the Saint Louis Coliseum. The Saint Louis Coliseum was constructed with the objective or aim of hosting events and shows such as boxing matches (Greco 12). It is worth to highlight that the building which were torn down were a symbol of authority and show of pride.

Civil War History using textbook, Ordeal by Fire, The Civil War and Essay

Civil War History using textbook, Ordeal by Fire, The Civil War and Reconstruction by James Hogue and James McPherson - Essay Example Secondly, the Union had a massive advantage in terms of resources. The South’s industrial output could not match that of New York alone, let alone the entire Industrial output of the North. Most of the heavy industries were concentrated in the North, including coal, iron, and woolen production, machine shops, and shipyards. In addition, the Union had far better infrastructure with several times the mileage of well-surfaced roads and canals, and twice the density of railroads. Shipping was a monopoly of Union vessels, and the South had only a handful of shipyards (Beringer, 1988). The third major factor was poor economic management. The Confederacy failed to export its stockpile of cotton at the start of the war before the Union blockade came into full effect. The revenues from exporting this cotton would have provided a sound financial base for undertaking a more effective war effort. Instead, the cotton was stockpiled or burnt. Moreover, the Confederate government chose to pr int money instead of levying high taxes on its citizens. This resulted in rampant inflation: prices increased 100-fold during the course of the war, devastating the economy and wiping out the savings of southerners. In contrast, the Union financed the war from bonds and taxation, maintaining a sound economy conducive for an effective war effort (Farmer, 2013). Q2 Reconstruction after the American Civil War entailed three major issues: the Social Problem, the Political Problem, and the Constitutional Problem. The policies and strategies adopted by President Andrew Johnson and the Radical Republicans after him were only partly successful. Johnson took up a soft stance towards Reconstruction. He solved the Political Problem and the Constitutional Problem, leaving the Social Problem to persist. Johnson unveiled his Reconstruction Plan in which each Southern state would be allowed back into the Union and has its war debts cancelled, if it withdraws its right of secession and swears alleg iance to the Union. He supported the rights of states at the expense of a strong federal government, resolving the Constitutional Problem. As a result, this ‘forgiveness’ policy was successful at incorporating the South back into the Union. Johnson failed to solve the Social Problem regarding slaves by failing to address their issues regarding land acquisition and voting rights. He denied former slaves the right to vote because he believed the South should be managed by white men only (Peacock, 2003). The Radical Republicans solved all the three problems for a short period following the election of Ulysses S. Grant to the presidency in 1868. They introduced the 15th Amendment, which granted African Americans the right to vote as well as protection under the law. They passed the Reconstruction Act of 1867 which granted African Americans all rights of citizenship enabling them access to education, land, public office and equal opportunities, leading to rise in their socio -economic status. The Enforcement Act gave the Grant government power to enforce the Reconstruction Act. As a result, the Southern states lost the right to oversee Reconstruction, which the Federal government took over. However, most of these gains were lost since Reconstruction governments in the South created bitter opposition among Southerners with their harsh measures. Northerners were also growing tired of Reconstruction due

College Goals Essay Example for Free

College Goals Essay Attending college is the first step to a better future. Throughout life there will be many goals to accomplish but some of the most important goals to accomplish will be during the time you are in college. My first goal is to pass every class this semester. After completing this goal my next goal to complete will be to graduate from Hudson County Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. Finally my last goal to complete is to further my education and get the job I want. Passing every class this semester will help me feel positive and confident about my future and future goals. In order to complete this goal I will have to attend every class and be on time. By missing one class I will miss out on a lot of work and may not be able to catch up. I will have to finish every assignment on time because if I write the best essay I could possibly write but hand it in late, my grade will drop dramatically. Finally I will have to ask for help if I need it. Even though it is my first semester of college and I do not know what to expect, asking for help is easy and can help improve my college experience. To be able to obtain my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts by August 2015 I will have to work harder than I ever have. I will have to be sure to complete all my assignments and be sure to attend all my classes. I will have to put school first in life and avoid activities that will have a negative impact on my education. Prior to achieving this goal I also want to choose the career I want so I can know what direction my life is going. My final long-term college goal is to go on to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree and possibly my Master’s Degree, depending on the career I choose. I have not chosen the career I want yet but I want to have the best education possible to qualify me for the job. To be able to obtain the best education possible I want to keep my grade point average high and be able to attend a good university. I have not really thought about all the details since I have not chosen a career yet but I am going to better my education as much as I possibly can. After completing all my education I will have the job I want and be happy and financially stable. In conclusion, my college goals are some of the most important in my life because they greatly help shape my future. By passing all my classes this semester I will have the confidence to continue my education and do well. By obtaining my Associate’s Degree I will be able to go on and obtain my Bachelor’s and possibly Master’s Degrees. And finally when I finish completing all my education I will be able to get the career I want and be happy with my life. My entire future depends on the choices I make in college.

Construction Economics And Finance Construction Essay

Construction Economics And Finance Construction Essay The economic downturn while unfortunate is real life problem that needs to be managed and controlled by construction companies. Construction is experiencing particular suffering as it relies on large capital expenditure to finance projects and the unavailability of a steady cash flow has resulted in many companies being forced into bankruptcy despite making a profit. Cash flow management has been described as the most important of all a companys resources as its inadequate management can lead to liquidity problems whereby day to day activities cannot be supported (Navon, 1996; Singh and Lakanathan, 1992). As contractors have to wait a number of months before being payed for completed work, this places increased pressure on credit facilities that they have agreed with banks, sub-contractors, suppliers, etc. This is why there is such agreement within the industry towards the importance of cash flow forecasting and control (Navon, 1990; Carr, 1993; Cook, 1991). The UK Governments policy has been to provide a fiscal stimulus by increasing spending on large public projects so as to inject money into the economy which will filter down through all sectors (McFall, 2008). Green (2009) forecasted that the recession will match up to the recession of the late 80s and early 90s but that it will recover quicker. Once again public spending is the underlining reason for the upturn but it is questioned whether the continuous spending can be sustained. The logical relation between high inflation which causes a rise in borrowing costs and a reduction in construction investment and thus a fall in the construction cycle is shown below in Figure 2.2 (Ren Lin 1996). These ups and downs in the economy in general used to be called business cycles but cycles implies predetermined or automatic recurrence and according to Myers (2008) we are not experiencing automatic recurrent cycles and we should refer to these activities as business fluctuations instead. Construction companies need to analyze these cyclical indicators so that they can plan activity and investment depending on the fluctuations. Whitten (2009) writing for Construction News explained how The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has warned of an emerging trend of firms pricing below cost. Both Whitten (2009) and Scully (2009) argue the point that below cost tendering is unsustainable and will increase the risk of contractors facing insolvency. Reductions in material and plant costs have been exceeded by the drop in tender prices. Insolvencies are predicted to occur firstly among contractors who tender correctly but fail to win the contract and then among those who win the contract with unsustainably low bids (Whitten, 2009). Cash flow management is extremely important and despite interest rates being at their lowest levels in a number of years borrowing is still a cause for concern as profit margins have been reduced and in some causes wiped out as contractors take on jobs at cost. Methods to improve the cash flow are described below at the different stages of a contract but in general firms need effective financial planning and control to monitor its position. Before a contract begins issues such as plant ownership, labour, subcontractors, materials, etc need to be discussed and the right mix found for each project. Better buying and terms for sub-contracts involve negotiating improved deals either from suppliers or sub-contractors and therefore improve the cost of the project (Coates, 2009). This is widespread in the current climate due to the reduced amount of work available. The last three methods will bring in early money but must be done before submitting the priced bills (Cooke and Williams, 2009). On site, the use of skilled labour increases efficiency and allows tasks to be completed earlier without the need for expensive and time consuming repair work. For complex tasks which the workforce could perform but not efficiently, specialist sub-contractors should be used. Plant costs can be extremely high which means that any plant that is not being used should be off-hired immediately and if any plant is owned by the company then there should be added emphasis on its use. Strategic tendering and project mix become even more crucial to a companys success during times of a recession. As the private sector feels the impact of a recession firstly and for a slightly longer period it is in a companys long term interest to carry out a more aggressive bidding policy towards the public sector (Ren Lin, 1996). Another advantage of the public sector is its transparency and openness during the tender stage. While the public sector may be susceptible to mal-practice, construction companies know that they will be impartially assessed and receive feedback. Strategic planning can be very beneficial as it seeks to align a company in a certain direction. In todays climate contractors need to evalute the client when deciding to tender as many contractors have commenced work on a project only to instructed to withdraw as the funding has been restricted (Edum-Fotwe McCaffer, 1999). A number of contractors have also begun to take on jobs at cost or even a loss in an effo rt to win work with the chance of repeat work. Also this keeps the company name in circulation and also to hold onto valued staff that might otherwise have to be made redundant. Partnering has been widely adopted in construction in the last number of years as it offers the opportunity for improving the project outcome aswell as benefiting the whole supply chain (Dozzi et al., 1996; Larson and Drexler, 1997). It utilizes each participants expertise and resources so that the required business objectives can be met or exceeded (Bennett Jayes, 1998). The use of sub contractors has increased as there is less overheads involved (Langford Male, 1992). The benefits of partnering can be applied to co-contracting (main contractor-sub contractor) and supply chain integration (contractor-supplier), (Edum-Fotwe McCaffer, 1999). This allows greater flexibility as both partners are working for a common goal and greater economies of scale can be achieved when tendering as contractors will have their own list of preferred suppliers or sub contractors which allows them to price new projects quickly and efficiently. As suppliers account for such a high percentage of building costs their involvement at an early stage should be welcomed as they can contribute new ideas, products or processes (Cartlidge, 2002). Tyreman on the other hand draws attention to the fact that the construction industry is inherently mis-trusting and while benefits do exist he doubts whether it will be fully supported within the construction industry. This opinion is similar to that of Wood and Ellis (2005) who estimate that it will still be some time before a fully genuine relationship exists as there is an engrained culture of mistrust and deception. Successful partnerships offer the opportunity for repeat work but the client must be assured that tenders remain competitive within the relationship of trust. As Project Programme Management provides training and technology advancement, it has allowed them to move into new markets which owing to the current high unemployment rate are particularly busy. They have also looked towards cheaper marketing tools such as over the internet to keep their overheads down while still keeping potential client exposure high. At Laing ORourke, Tyreman discusses how credit checks are performed on all potential clients to rate them but they also use strategic tendering which has led them to tender more aggressively for public sector contrasts which is in line with the theories put forward by Ren and Lin (1996) and discussed in the literature review. Supply chain integration has also helped to achieve greater economies of scale. The importance of cash flow cannot be overstated for construction firms and regardless of its time consuming requirements is particularly worthwhile. Despite many construction firms making a significant profit they can run out of cash and have to cease trading. If firms fail to correctly forecast when cash flow is required they can become insolvent as the cash is not available to pay their debts as they fall due. Effective communication will strengthen your existing relationships and help you to form positive bonds in future interactions with clients, banks, sub-contractors, suppliers, etc. The importance and basic need for cash flow analysis has been stressed in the literature review and by both interviewees. Cash flow analysis is an essential day to day activity in construction and it is recommended that effective planning is carried out by experienced management. They need to establish good terms with suppliers and sub contractors and to put in place an efficient cash flow reporting system. Cash flow analysis can refer to both day-to-day analysis (short term) or economic forecasting (long-term). As discussed by Myers (2008) business fluctuations have been occurring since the start of business and while they are complicated and rely on a number of variables they can help to provide a company with the potential to forecast market conditions and thus position itself accordingly.

Managerial Role in HR Strategy Development

Managerial Role in HR Strategy Development Executive Summary I am pleased to present this report as part of my academic module of Human Resource Planning. The word Change is now a constant term that takes place in every in every part of organisation. Time has brought a huge change with broader invention, new techniques of implication and human feelings and willingness. The Human Resource Management (HRM) has been well diversified and enriched with information resources, development of technology and globally acceptable policies. So we need to find approaches to managerial involvement in developing efficient HR Planning and Management. In this report I tried to critically evaluate Managerial role in HR strategy development and practices including barriers preventing Line Managers(LMs) from getting involved in HR Planning and Management (HRPM), Measures to overcome the barriers, Risk of involving LMs in HRPM to extensive extent and easiness resulted by the development and uses of Technology in involving LMs in HR practices. I specially want to thank RDI for designing such a pragmatic course with great contents including models outline and techniques in such a way that inspired and helped me a lot to prepare this report. Introduction: Planning Human Resource is a critical aspect within overall organizational framework. Time has brought a great extent of change in policies, theories, techniques, HR equipment and in planning and practices if Human Resources to achieve enterprise goals through establishing wide range of successful management and designing efficient HR strategy. Critical evaluation of the role of senior managers in developing an organizations overall Human Resource Strategy: Senior managers play a pivotal role in developing an organizations overall Human Resource (HR) strategy. Before starting the development of Human Resource (HR) Strategy, the managers need to realize Human Resource Management (HRM) activities and their integration to each other and the HR cycle as because of the strategy is designed to perform those activities efficiently to achieve a set of predetermined objectives. HRM activities and HR cycle are shown in the following diagram with their relationship to each other. HRM Activities Figure: Human Resource Management Activities Human Resource Cycle In developing overall Human Resource strategy in an organization there are three steps: Human resource planning in an organisation: To establish effective human resource strategy in an organization the senior managers need to plan Human Resource, which must be consistently aligned with the organizational framework. Investigation and analysis The managers need to investigate and analyze current situation and of internal and external trends of the organization as the first step of planning HR. The managers should mainly focus on the following key issues: Identify which works need to be done Selecting the approach of performing those works effectively and efficiently to achieve the organizations objectives Identify the skills and experience the organization will need Identify the internal and external factors affect the supply and quality of labor, the demand for labor, and the likely people gap Forecasting Senior managers need to forecast beforehand to develop HR strategy where they will: Predict the likely demand for labor Predict the likely level of labor supply Considering both those levels in relation to the numbers of staff and also to the skills and experience that are needed. Based on those predictions, organizations can assess whether the required numbers of people, with the relevant competencies, are likely to be available. If not, then the organization must carefully identify where the skill gaps are likely to occur and decide what it is going to do about those. Planning and Resourcing The Human Resource Strategy Cycle in an organization: Senior managers need to start-up with human resource cycle as depicted by the Michigan Schools matching model of four generic process can be graphically presented by Harvard framework as shown below: Figure: The Harvard Framework The senior managers needs to plan the four generic process of Human Resource cycle in organization where. The components of this process are: Selection: matching people to jobs Appraisal of performance Rewards: emphasizing the real importance of pay and other forms of immediate and long-term compensation in achieving results Development of skilled individuals According to the Harvard Framework the senior managers must develop two aspects of strategic vision. Employees must be involved in and developed by the organization; and HRM policies must be developed to achieve those goals. The approach of senior managers emphasizes the importance of two elements as: Line managers in ensuring that competitive strategy and HR policies are aligned HR managers in setting policies that fit well with the organizations overall aims. The key components of Harvard Framework are shown below: Figure: The Harvard Framework In the first instance, senior managers will carefully identify the fundamental issues, which are important to develop an organizations Human Resource Strategy. These may involve: Workforce plan Skills plan Equity plan Economic plan Motivation and fairness planning Pay levels design, retaining and motivating employees Planning employment issues, which impact, on staff recruitment, retention, motivation etc. Designing a framework of performance management issues Planning career strategy An efficiently designed HR strategy will make it substantially easier for the organization to achieve its goals. Thus the senior managers must have to be cautious about the impact of HR strategy on greater environment of overall organization. A strategic human resource planning model There is no single approach to developing a Human Resources Strategy. The specific approach will vary from one organization to another. Even so, an excellent approach towards an HR Strategic Management System is evident in the model presented below. This approach identifies six specific steps for senior managers in developing HR Strategy: Planning Steps: 1. Setting the strategic direction 2. Designing the Human Resource Management System 3. Planning the total workforce Execution Steps: 4. Generating the required human resources 5. Investing in human resource development and performance 6. Assessing and sustaining organizational competence and performance Figure: Strategic HR model Analysis: Implementation and control Using the process model discussed earlier, the managers need to design specific components of the HR Strategic Plan as described below. Setting the strategic direction Through this process managers focus on aligning human resource policies to support the accomplishment of the Companys mission, vision, goals and strategies. In this regards the following actions are recommended for the senior managers: Perform external scanning evaluating its impact on the organizational objective Identify organizational vision, goal, mission, objective and principles for guidance Identify strategies Designing the Human Resource Management System In this stage managers focus on the selection, design and alignment of HRM plans, policies and practices. Managers will particularly need HRM policies and practices to support strategic organizational objectives. For the managers a good approach in developing appropriate HR strategy is to identify the appropriate HRM practices which support the organizations strategic intent as it relates to recruitment, training, career planning and reward management. In this regards senior managers are recommended to: Identify appropriate human resource plans, policies and practices needed to support organizational objectives Identify relevant human resource best practices Conduct an employment systems review Planning the total workforce Managers need to determine future business requirements, especially those relating to manpower requirements, represents one of the most challenging tasks facing HR managers. The development of a workforce plan is a critical step for managers.Workforce planning is a systematic process of identifying the workforce competencies required to meet the companys strategic goals and for developing the strategies to meet these requirements. It is a methodical process that provides managers with a framework for making human resource decisions based on the organizations mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources, and a set of desired workforce competencies. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the folloeing: Determining appropriate structure to support objectives Designing key activities Developing workforce planning Compiling a workforce framework and identify designated groups and current competencies for workforce Generating the required human resources In this process senior managers focus on recruit and hire of people, classify them, train them and assign employees on the basis of strategic plan. It requires a comprehensive workplace skills planning which will identify appropriate training priorities based on the organizational requirements within the context of present and future. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the followings: Evaluating recruitment practices and selection procedure in respect of strategic objectives Developing and implementing comprehensive workplace skills planning thorough training necessity analysis Implementing leadership strategy Adopting occupational techniques and categorizing the group classification Investing in HR Development and Performance Through development responses managers will aim to increase business skills, the application of business skills and the behavioral elements to an organizations effective performance. In many ways, the Skills Development legislation has required managers to re-engineer their developmental methods and practices. Through reward strategies managers aim to align the performance of the organization with the way it rewards its people, providing the necessary incentives and motivation to staff. Its components can be a combination of base pay, bonuses, profit sharing, share options, and a range of appropriate benefits, usually based on market or competitor norms and the organizations ability to pay. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the following: Determine the appropriate policies, procedures and practices in respect of Designing career path Initiating performance appraisals through relevant analysis Framework of employee development and training Planning reward management Designing promotional activities and classifying job assignment with prudent assignment planning Assessing and sustaining organizational competence and performance Finally, few managers effectively measure how well their different inputs affect performance. In particular, no measures may be in place for quantifying the contribution people make to organizational outcomes or, more important, for estimating how changes in policies and practices, systems, or processes will affect that contribution. In this regards senior managers are recommended to: Evaluating organizational culture Implementing succession plan Evaluating strategy for human resource through quantitative measures Revising and adapting Human Resource strategies Making the HR Strategy integral to the organization The senior managers also should make sure that the strategies of Human Resource are integrated with overall organizational goals. To achieve these goals, the senior managers should: Discuss with all stakeholders about the nature of the strategies; Focus on benefits derived from the strategies; Ensuring real commitment to the strategies at the all levels of organization; Giving feedback on the implementation of the plan; They should involve HR strategy as part of induction process. The barriers which may prevent line-managers becoming more involved in HR Planning Management and Measures can be take to overcome them: HR hierarchy shows LMs are key persons to run the organization where all other department and their activities and success depend upon responses and performance of LMs. So LMs are prevented by many seasons and amongst the two principal barriers to most line managers supporting the HRPM are: Heavy workloads Line Managers (LMs) are always assigned with extensive workload to keep operation department running to achieve predetermined targets. In a study shown that 96% Line Managers agreed that Heavy workload keep them always busy to concentrate somewhere else. As a result, LMs heavy workload prevents LMs from taking part in HRPM as a principal barrier. Short-term job pressures 87% LMs agreed that Time constrain in respect of short-term job pressure as second principal barrier which prevent them from involving with HRPM. To overcome these barriers proper utilization of technology to minimize the workload or increase the number of Line Managers to share short-term job pressures so that there is enough people to take over while another is working in HR. Other barriers to line manager are: Human Resource Planning and Management (HRPM) is a difficult process Line Managers (LM) are designated and assigned for operational activities and performance appraisal through practices of already designed and managed activities HR activities. HR planning and Management is a technical approach where HR manager is specialized with the knowledge and skills to perform the HRP and HRM activities. But the line managers may not have this skills and knowledge. So they most of the times are reluctant to be involved with the process. In this regard, senior managers should design the roles and responsibilities of a line manager very carefully where there are scopes of being involved with HRP and HRM. As a mandatory process top managers may include special training session to enrich them with HR ideologies and management practices so that the line managers without HR background may learn about the technical approaches involved in the HRP and HRM. Lack of desire The fact that LMs are not always sufficiently willing to take on HR responsibilities or that their motivation to do so is lacking highlights a lack of personal incentives for using HR practices. So lack of desire for any reason including lack of incentives, workload, time constraint is one of the barriers that prevent them to be involved with HRP and HRM. Institutional incentives can persuade LMs to give HR activities serious consideration. So adapting such a business policy where line managers are motivated enough to prioritise HR roles or by making HR responsibilities an integral part of LMs own performance appraisals, their job descriptions may improve their attitude towards being invloved with HRP/HRM. Lack of capacity LMs need time to learn and implement HRP/M successfully. Because HR tasks are generally devolved to LMs without reducing their other duties lack of their capacity to deal with challenges involved in HRP/M. This implies, lack of capacity is another constrain hindering Line Managers taking part in HRP/M. The design of line managers responsibilities should apply variability approach where there should be enough room for them to act with HRP/M. they are usually given a short-term target to be achieved and their time is appropriately aligned with other responsibilities. So there should be alternative choices for them to be involved e.g. if a line manager is getting involved with HR practices, their other jobs are shared with other managers i.e. compromise with their workload or extra facilities may attract them to get involved with HRP/M. Lack of competencies There is a need for HR-related competencies for successful HRP/M implementation. LMs lack specialist knowledge and skills in terms of labor law, HR strategy, HR technology etc. So this lacking may prevent them from getting involved with HRP/M. Through a comprehensive training program this barrier can be overcome. There are specific legal requirements and practices and it is evident that many organizations arrange HR training program for Line Managers. Lack of support There is a need for support from HR managers for successful HRP/M implementation. If HR specialists are unable or unwilling to provide clear and proactive support, LMs will lack sufficient HR skills (Gennard/Kelly 1997; Renwick 2000) and proper encouragement to plan and manage the workforce effectively. So this barrier may also prevent the line managers to take part at HR activities. In these circumstances, senior managers have make sure that the HR managers properly cooperate with Line managers. Senior managers can design a certain set of alternatives that the line managers may follow including IT enabled automatic systems in case of HR managers limitations including inability, unavailability or unwillingness where they will be appreciated instead of being criticized. Lack of policy and procedures There is a need for a clear overall HR policy and accompanying procedures to coordinate which practices LMs should use and the way they should take part in HRP/M. This may prevent line managers to take part in HRP/M. In this case senior managers can consult with LMs about the devolution of their responsibilities and design an agreed set of terms and condition for line mangers which will specify their roles and mechanisms they will be willing to be involved in the process of HRP/M. Role and opinion conflict The conflict of roles, responsibilities and opinion may hinder LMs to get involved with HRP/M. Because In this case taking part in the HRP/M by a line manager is monitored and authorised by HR Manager. In this case, senior managers need to improve information sharing between the managers and top-level management may involve to assure and recognize LMs involvement. Rapid Change Rapid change business policy, economic environment and technology also may prevent the Line Managers from getting involved in HRP/M. Because the changes have impact on HR planning and Management practices. Arranging the frequent employee forum discussion or meeting about the changes so that there should not be any ambiguity or conflict about the changes took place in HR practices due to the above changes. The legal framework There are some legal bindings in HR practices which may de-motivate LMs to take part in HRP/M. This may arise from labour and mercantile law relating to nature of business, demographic issues and managerial roles. This is the fact of limitation of knowledge where only the way to overcome this is arranging proper training sessions for LMs about the implications and consequences. In addition to above measures to overcome those barriers, the following steps are recommended to get line managers involved in HRPM: Employment security Pfeffer considers that this is the essential HR outcome. People cannot be expected to offer their ideas, commitment and hard work unless they have job security. Realising that job security for life is not a realistic aim, Pfeffer goes on to describe the benefits of offering internal job transfers rather than sacking people during a period of organisational change. Extensive training, learning and development The aim is to encourage learning that benefits both the individual and the organisation. There are thus implications for the amount of training provided, the types of training, and the ways in which that training facilitates wider employee development. Employee involvement and information sharing By openly sharing information on performance, financial matters, and so on, organisations may show that they trust their employees and may also encourage them to focus on ways of improving future performance. Many modern approaches to teamworking encourage open discussion of current practice and planning ways of creating improvement. This discussion and planning can only be effective if people have the relevant information. Pay and performance-related rewards There are two key issues relating to rewards. First, high-level employees can be retained by giving higher-than-average rewards. Second, rewards should reflect different levels of contribution particularly successful individuals, teams or departments should be rewarded for their efforts. Harmonization Again based on Japanese production companies, some organisations have tried to make their workplaces more egalitarian, for example through the use of uniforms, shared canteens, harmonisation of working conditions e.g. paid holidays, extensions to share ownership and so on. Risks inherent in line-managers becoming more involved in HRPM An extensive body of literature suggests that giving a major role and influence to LMs in HRM can be problematic (Kirkpatrick et al. 1992; McGovern et al. 1997; Renwick 2003; Maxwell and Watson 2006), and even counter-productive (Thornhill and Saunders 1998). Reservations against assigning strong power to Line managers (LMs) in HRPM challenge their capacity to take on new roles parallel to their current workload, as well as their motivation to care about employees. Moreover, a well-known criticism concerns the gap between what is said and what is practiced. Some researchers even suspect that the trend towards greater delegation of responsibilities to LMs often derives from companies desires to cut structural costs as well as to companies desires to free themselves from some responsibilities. Indeed, due to contradictions that are found in HR practices some responsibilities regarding HRPM are difficult to assume. In this perspective, it is negatively reflected that the companys will is to disengage from specialized services rather than a true redefinition of roles. Thus, the claim that if HRPM is to be taken seriously, personnel managers must give it away can be misleading. As implementing ambitious HR practices is likely to be easier for qualified HR specialists than for LMs, the role of the former is too critical to be given away too quickly. LMs need well designed HR practices to use in their management activities. It is up to HRM specialists to put in place systems that create a favourable climate and enable employees and managers to know what is expected from them. The role of the HR specialists is all the more significant than that of the HR function should be viewed as a critical resource for the company: for example, the expertise necessary for the identification and use of accurate work systems can be thought of as a competitive advantage. In other words, we believe that HR specialists still have a major role to play. This role may be displayed in different ways according to organizational culture. In this context tested hypotheses is that the organizational performance is weak for companies in which decisions regarding major HRPM policies are influence more by LMs than by HR specialists. Line managers are assigned with a critical set operational responsibilities which involves day to day operation with a short-term target. Achieving this short-term target is a basis of overall organisational goals. So if line managers get involved more in HR practices, there is a risk of overall failure to achieve organisational goal due to negative impact on operational success. Despite the positive impact may resulted from Line managers involvement in HRPM, recent research has shown that delegating HRPM responsibility carries a number of challenges and risks of line management involvement in HRPM and there are certain complications. Research provides mixed results about the implications of devolution and the competence of line managers in HRPM work more generally. It has been confirmed that workloads of line managers may marginalize their efforts in developing employees and they may not be able to pay sufficient attention to employee development. Performance criteria and reward systems are more likely to consider business results, than a longer term people development role. The responsibility for HRPM is not very often included among line managers performance objectives. Also, it might be difficult for line managers to play two opposing roles of assessor and coach. Moreover, line managers are not specialists in HR practices and may lack confidence, knowledge and organizational support to assume the responsibility for HRPM. Senior managers must be highly supportive in HRPM role of line managers and an incentive system should be developed to motivate them. Furthermore, acting as a HRPM facilitator demands a coaching management style, as opposed to a directive management style. Lack of coaching skills and insufficient line management motivation for this role is reinforced by findings that the least popular HRPM delivery mechanisms include coaching and mentoring. This may be due to the large commitment of time and resources needed. In respect of Employment law the work of Human Resource functions is increasingly controlled by the requirements of the law. There is an extensive risk of avoiding laws that relate to employment, for example laws on health and safety, on diversity and equality, on employment rights, on rights to strike and so on. The state and the law perform three primary roles in relation to employment as: A restrictive role The state provides a set of rules which limit is what is, and is not, allowed in industrial relations. For example the state defines in what situation workers can go on strike and also defines what management can and cannot do in those situations. A regulatory role This defines the basic rights of all workers. This began with rights for relatively safe working for those employed in mines but has expanded to cover everyone in the workplace. It now also covers many aspects of employment, for example legislation on unfair dismissal means that organisations have to keep careful records on performance, disciplinary procedures and grievances. An auxiliary role Many government bodies give advice, for example on health and safety or equal opportunities, that goes beyond the strict statement of the law. As a result of above employment law being involved in HRPM, excessive involvement of Line manager may result to several conflicts as described below. Conflict with line managers The focus of many line managers will be towards achieving their own, and their teams, targets. This may lead to the manager ignoring guidelines and legislation on working hours, bullying, safety and other issues. Those working in an HR role need to focus on the long-term needs of the organisation: good employee/management relations; working within the legislation, and so on. These long-term needs are of greater importance than achieving a teams short-term targets. Employment and conflicting priorities Managers have a primary aim of adding value to their organisation. By LMs short-term benefit may be gained by sacking employees during periods of low activity. In the long term, however, this is likely to adversely affect staff morale and will also incur costs when new recruits must be found in the future. Freedom and control Conflict may occur between managers wishes to exert freedom in how they run their teams and the strategic need of organisations to exert control and work for at least some degree of consistency. As an example think of policies towards overtime. Line managers may want freedom to use overtime as they think suitable resulting inter-team conflict or problems when employees move between teams. Disputes and grievances The ambiguous nature of HR work is perhaps most clear when disputes occur between employees and management. This may involve a grievance by an individual Line Manager (LM); it may involve a major dispute such as a strike. Technological developments assist the process of facilitating greater line-manager involvement in HRPM Technology Technology refers to the information, equipment, techniques processes required to transform inputs into outputs. It is considered as the basic factor in the process of development. The use of technology lead to increase in the productivity of labor, capital others factors of organization. Role of Technology Increasing the productivity of the workers Utilization of the resources Higher level of output per worker. Creation of the employment More profit for the organization Cost minimization When Human Resource Management (HRM) involves Information Technology (IT) then it is called HRM Information Systems (HRMIS) or in short HRIS. In this modern period of time technology is widely used in HR practices even in developing HR strategy and in their implementation. HRIS is an organized approach for obtaining relevant and timely data, analyze and disseminate data and use them in HR practice and management. We now have the technology to allow us to reduce HR administration and to provide improved levels of service to our internal customers. Through HRIS the managers are able to access up-to-date, accurate, concise, relevant and complete information. Because of HR technology HR roles and practices are changing as shown below: The payroll module automates the pay process by gathering data on employee time and attendance, calculating various deductions and taxes, and generating periodic pay cheques and employee tax reports. The work time gathers standardized time and work related efforts. The benefits administration module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee participation in benefits programs. The HR management module is a component covering many other HR aspects from application to retirement. The training module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee training and development efforts. The Employee Self-Service module allows employees to query HRPM related data. Thus, development of Technology played a significant role to overcome barriers preventing LMs from getting involved and it contributed positively to minimize the risk of LMs being more involved in HRPM which illustrated below: More efficient and time saving approach Uses of technology save lots of time in the process where Line Managers are involved. The LMs workloads is minimized and there is availability in time to get involved in HRPM. Better Communication Techno Managerial Role in HR Strategy Development Managerial Role in HR Strategy Development Executive Summary I am pleased to present this report as part of my academic module of Human Resource Planning. The word Change is now a constant term that takes place in every in every part of organisation. Time has brought a huge change with broader invention, new techniques of implication and human feelings and willingness. The Human Resource Management (HRM) has been well diversified and enriched with information resources, development of technology and globally acceptable policies. So we need to find approaches to managerial involvement in developing efficient HR Planning and Management. In this report I tried to critically evaluate Managerial role in HR strategy development and practices including barriers preventing Line Managers(LMs) from getting involved in HR Planning and Management (HRPM), Measures to overcome the barriers, Risk of involving LMs in HRPM to extensive extent and easiness resulted by the development and uses of Technology in involving LMs in HR practices. I specially want to thank RDI for designing such a pragmatic course with great contents including models outline and techniques in such a way that inspired and helped me a lot to prepare this report. Introduction: Planning Human Resource is a critical aspect within overall organizational framework. Time has brought a great extent of change in policies, theories, techniques, HR equipment and in planning and practices if Human Resources to achieve enterprise goals through establishing wide range of successful management and designing efficient HR strategy. Critical evaluation of the role of senior managers in developing an organizations overall Human Resource Strategy: Senior managers play a pivotal role in developing an organizations overall Human Resource (HR) strategy. Before starting the development of Human Resource (HR) Strategy, the managers need to realize Human Resource Management (HRM) activities and their integration to each other and the HR cycle as because of the strategy is designed to perform those activities efficiently to achieve a set of predetermined objectives. HRM activities and HR cycle are shown in the following diagram with their relationship to each other. HRM Activities Figure: Human Resource Management Activities Human Resource Cycle In developing overall Human Resource strategy in an organization there are three steps: Human resource planning in an organisation: To establish effective human resource strategy in an organization the senior managers need to plan Human Resource, which must be consistently aligned with the organizational framework. Investigation and analysis The managers need to investigate and analyze current situation and of internal and external trends of the organization as the first step of planning HR. The managers should mainly focus on the following key issues: Identify which works need to be done Selecting the approach of performing those works effectively and efficiently to achieve the organizations objectives Identify the skills and experience the organization will need Identify the internal and external factors affect the supply and quality of labor, the demand for labor, and the likely people gap Forecasting Senior managers need to forecast beforehand to develop HR strategy where they will: Predict the likely demand for labor Predict the likely level of labor supply Considering both those levels in relation to the numbers of staff and also to the skills and experience that are needed. Based on those predictions, organizations can assess whether the required numbers of people, with the relevant competencies, are likely to be available. If not, then the organization must carefully identify where the skill gaps are likely to occur and decide what it is going to do about those. Planning and Resourcing The Human Resource Strategy Cycle in an organization: Senior managers need to start-up with human resource cycle as depicted by the Michigan Schools matching model of four generic process can be graphically presented by Harvard framework as shown below: Figure: The Harvard Framework The senior managers needs to plan the four generic process of Human Resource cycle in organization where. The components of this process are: Selection: matching people to jobs Appraisal of performance Rewards: emphasizing the real importance of pay and other forms of immediate and long-term compensation in achieving results Development of skilled individuals According to the Harvard Framework the senior managers must develop two aspects of strategic vision. Employees must be involved in and developed by the organization; and HRM policies must be developed to achieve those goals. The approach of senior managers emphasizes the importance of two elements as: Line managers in ensuring that competitive strategy and HR policies are aligned HR managers in setting policies that fit well with the organizations overall aims. The key components of Harvard Framework are shown below: Figure: The Harvard Framework In the first instance, senior managers will carefully identify the fundamental issues, which are important to develop an organizations Human Resource Strategy. These may involve: Workforce plan Skills plan Equity plan Economic plan Motivation and fairness planning Pay levels design, retaining and motivating employees Planning employment issues, which impact, on staff recruitment, retention, motivation etc. Designing a framework of performance management issues Planning career strategy An efficiently designed HR strategy will make it substantially easier for the organization to achieve its goals. Thus the senior managers must have to be cautious about the impact of HR strategy on greater environment of overall organization. A strategic human resource planning model There is no single approach to developing a Human Resources Strategy. The specific approach will vary from one organization to another. Even so, an excellent approach towards an HR Strategic Management System is evident in the model presented below. This approach identifies six specific steps for senior managers in developing HR Strategy: Planning Steps: 1. Setting the strategic direction 2. Designing the Human Resource Management System 3. Planning the total workforce Execution Steps: 4. Generating the required human resources 5. Investing in human resource development and performance 6. Assessing and sustaining organizational competence and performance Figure: Strategic HR model Analysis: Implementation and control Using the process model discussed earlier, the managers need to design specific components of the HR Strategic Plan as described below. Setting the strategic direction Through this process managers focus on aligning human resource policies to support the accomplishment of the Companys mission, vision, goals and strategies. In this regards the following actions are recommended for the senior managers: Perform external scanning evaluating its impact on the organizational objective Identify organizational vision, goal, mission, objective and principles for guidance Identify strategies Designing the Human Resource Management System In this stage managers focus on the selection, design and alignment of HRM plans, policies and practices. Managers will particularly need HRM policies and practices to support strategic organizational objectives. For the managers a good approach in developing appropriate HR strategy is to identify the appropriate HRM practices which support the organizations strategic intent as it relates to recruitment, training, career planning and reward management. In this regards senior managers are recommended to: Identify appropriate human resource plans, policies and practices needed to support organizational objectives Identify relevant human resource best practices Conduct an employment systems review Planning the total workforce Managers need to determine future business requirements, especially those relating to manpower requirements, represents one of the most challenging tasks facing HR managers. The development of a workforce plan is a critical step for managers.Workforce planning is a systematic process of identifying the workforce competencies required to meet the companys strategic goals and for developing the strategies to meet these requirements. It is a methodical process that provides managers with a framework for making human resource decisions based on the organizations mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources, and a set of desired workforce competencies. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the folloeing: Determining appropriate structure to support objectives Designing key activities Developing workforce planning Compiling a workforce framework and identify designated groups and current competencies for workforce Generating the required human resources In this process senior managers focus on recruit and hire of people, classify them, train them and assign employees on the basis of strategic plan. It requires a comprehensive workplace skills planning which will identify appropriate training priorities based on the organizational requirements within the context of present and future. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the followings: Evaluating recruitment practices and selection procedure in respect of strategic objectives Developing and implementing comprehensive workplace skills planning thorough training necessity analysis Implementing leadership strategy Adopting occupational techniques and categorizing the group classification Investing in HR Development and Performance Through development responses managers will aim to increase business skills, the application of business skills and the behavioral elements to an organizations effective performance. In many ways, the Skills Development legislation has required managers to re-engineer their developmental methods and practices. Through reward strategies managers aim to align the performance of the organization with the way it rewards its people, providing the necessary incentives and motivation to staff. Its components can be a combination of base pay, bonuses, profit sharing, share options, and a range of appropriate benefits, usually based on market or competitor norms and the organizations ability to pay. In this regards senior managers are recommended to do the following: Determine the appropriate policies, procedures and practices in respect of Designing career path Initiating performance appraisals through relevant analysis Framework of employee development and training Planning reward management Designing promotional activities and classifying job assignment with prudent assignment planning Assessing and sustaining organizational competence and performance Finally, few managers effectively measure how well their different inputs affect performance. In particular, no measures may be in place for quantifying the contribution people make to organizational outcomes or, more important, for estimating how changes in policies and practices, systems, or processes will affect that contribution. In this regards senior managers are recommended to: Evaluating organizational culture Implementing succession plan Evaluating strategy for human resource through quantitative measures Revising and adapting Human Resource strategies Making the HR Strategy integral to the organization The senior managers also should make sure that the strategies of Human Resource are integrated with overall organizational goals. To achieve these goals, the senior managers should: Discuss with all stakeholders about the nature of the strategies; Focus on benefits derived from the strategies; Ensuring real commitment to the strategies at the all levels of organization; Giving feedback on the implementation of the plan; They should involve HR strategy as part of induction process. The barriers which may prevent line-managers becoming more involved in HR Planning Management and Measures can be take to overcome them: HR hierarchy shows LMs are key persons to run the organization where all other department and their activities and success depend upon responses and performance of LMs. So LMs are prevented by many seasons and amongst the two principal barriers to most line managers supporting the HRPM are: Heavy workloads Line Managers (LMs) are always assigned with extensive workload to keep operation department running to achieve predetermined targets. In a study shown that 96% Line Managers agreed that Heavy workload keep them always busy to concentrate somewhere else. As a result, LMs heavy workload prevents LMs from taking part in HRPM as a principal barrier. Short-term job pressures 87% LMs agreed that Time constrain in respect of short-term job pressure as second principal barrier which prevent them from involving with HRPM. To overcome these barriers proper utilization of technology to minimize the workload or increase the number of Line Managers to share short-term job pressures so that there is enough people to take over while another is working in HR. Other barriers to line manager are: Human Resource Planning and Management (HRPM) is a difficult process Line Managers (LM) are designated and assigned for operational activities and performance appraisal through practices of already designed and managed activities HR activities. HR planning and Management is a technical approach where HR manager is specialized with the knowledge and skills to perform the HRP and HRM activities. But the line managers may not have this skills and knowledge. So they most of the times are reluctant to be involved with the process. In this regard, senior managers should design the roles and responsibilities of a line manager very carefully where there are scopes of being involved with HRP and HRM. As a mandatory process top managers may include special training session to enrich them with HR ideologies and management practices so that the line managers without HR background may learn about the technical approaches involved in the HRP and HRM. Lack of desire The fact that LMs are not always sufficiently willing to take on HR responsibilities or that their motivation to do so is lacking highlights a lack of personal incentives for using HR practices. So lack of desire for any reason including lack of incentives, workload, time constraint is one of the barriers that prevent them to be involved with HRP and HRM. Institutional incentives can persuade LMs to give HR activities serious consideration. So adapting such a business policy where line managers are motivated enough to prioritise HR roles or by making HR responsibilities an integral part of LMs own performance appraisals, their job descriptions may improve their attitude towards being invloved with HRP/HRM. Lack of capacity LMs need time to learn and implement HRP/M successfully. Because HR tasks are generally devolved to LMs without reducing their other duties lack of their capacity to deal with challenges involved in HRP/M. This implies, lack of capacity is another constrain hindering Line Managers taking part in HRP/M. The design of line managers responsibilities should apply variability approach where there should be enough room for them to act with HRP/M. they are usually given a short-term target to be achieved and their time is appropriately aligned with other responsibilities. So there should be alternative choices for them to be involved e.g. if a line manager is getting involved with HR practices, their other jobs are shared with other managers i.e. compromise with their workload or extra facilities may attract them to get involved with HRP/M. Lack of competencies There is a need for HR-related competencies for successful HRP/M implementation. LMs lack specialist knowledge and skills in terms of labor law, HR strategy, HR technology etc. So this lacking may prevent them from getting involved with HRP/M. Through a comprehensive training program this barrier can be overcome. There are specific legal requirements and practices and it is evident that many organizations arrange HR training program for Line Managers. Lack of support There is a need for support from HR managers for successful HRP/M implementation. If HR specialists are unable or unwilling to provide clear and proactive support, LMs will lack sufficient HR skills (Gennard/Kelly 1997; Renwick 2000) and proper encouragement to plan and manage the workforce effectively. So this barrier may also prevent the line managers to take part at HR activities. In these circumstances, senior managers have make sure that the HR managers properly cooperate with Line managers. Senior managers can design a certain set of alternatives that the line managers may follow including IT enabled automatic systems in case of HR managers limitations including inability, unavailability or unwillingness where they will be appreciated instead of being criticized. Lack of policy and procedures There is a need for a clear overall HR policy and accompanying procedures to coordinate which practices LMs should use and the way they should take part in HRP/M. This may prevent line managers to take part in HRP/M. In this case senior managers can consult with LMs about the devolution of their responsibilities and design an agreed set of terms and condition for line mangers which will specify their roles and mechanisms they will be willing to be involved in the process of HRP/M. Role and opinion conflict The conflict of roles, responsibilities and opinion may hinder LMs to get involved with HRP/M. Because In this case taking part in the HRP/M by a line manager is monitored and authorised by HR Manager. In this case, senior managers need to improve information sharing between the managers and top-level management may involve to assure and recognize LMs involvement. Rapid Change Rapid change business policy, economic environment and technology also may prevent the Line Managers from getting involved in HRP/M. Because the changes have impact on HR planning and Management practices. Arranging the frequent employee forum discussion or meeting about the changes so that there should not be any ambiguity or conflict about the changes took place in HR practices due to the above changes. The legal framework There are some legal bindings in HR practices which may de-motivate LMs to take part in HRP/M. This may arise from labour and mercantile law relating to nature of business, demographic issues and managerial roles. This is the fact of limitation of knowledge where only the way to overcome this is arranging proper training sessions for LMs about the implications and consequences. In addition to above measures to overcome those barriers, the following steps are recommended to get line managers involved in HRPM: Employment security Pfeffer considers that this is the essential HR outcome. People cannot be expected to offer their ideas, commitment and hard work unless they have job security. Realising that job security for life is not a realistic aim, Pfeffer goes on to describe the benefits of offering internal job transfers rather than sacking people during a period of organisational change. Extensive training, learning and development The aim is to encourage learning that benefits both the individual and the organisation. There are thus implications for the amount of training provided, the types of training, and the ways in which that training facilitates wider employee development. Employee involvement and information sharing By openly sharing information on performance, financial matters, and so on, organisations may show that they trust their employees and may also encourage them to focus on ways of improving future performance. Many modern approaches to teamworking encourage open discussion of current practice and planning ways of creating improvement. This discussion and planning can only be effective if people have the relevant information. Pay and performance-related rewards There are two key issues relating to rewards. First, high-level employees can be retained by giving higher-than-average rewards. Second, rewards should reflect different levels of contribution particularly successful individuals, teams or departments should be rewarded for their efforts. Harmonization Again based on Japanese production companies, some organisations have tried to make their workplaces more egalitarian, for example through the use of uniforms, shared canteens, harmonisation of working conditions e.g. paid holidays, extensions to share ownership and so on. Risks inherent in line-managers becoming more involved in HRPM An extensive body of literature suggests that giving a major role and influence to LMs in HRM can be problematic (Kirkpatrick et al. 1992; McGovern et al. 1997; Renwick 2003; Maxwell and Watson 2006), and even counter-productive (Thornhill and Saunders 1998). Reservations against assigning strong power to Line managers (LMs) in HRPM challenge their capacity to take on new roles parallel to their current workload, as well as their motivation to care about employees. Moreover, a well-known criticism concerns the gap between what is said and what is practiced. Some researchers even suspect that the trend towards greater delegation of responsibilities to LMs often derives from companies desires to cut structural costs as well as to companies desires to free themselves from some responsibilities. Indeed, due to contradictions that are found in HR practices some responsibilities regarding HRPM are difficult to assume. In this perspective, it is negatively reflected that the companys will is to disengage from specialized services rather than a true redefinition of roles. Thus, the claim that if HRPM is to be taken seriously, personnel managers must give it away can be misleading. As implementing ambitious HR practices is likely to be easier for qualified HR specialists than for LMs, the role of the former is too critical to be given away too quickly. LMs need well designed HR practices to use in their management activities. It is up to HRM specialists to put in place systems that create a favourable climate and enable employees and managers to know what is expected from them. The role of the HR specialists is all the more significant than that of the HR function should be viewed as a critical resource for the company: for example, the expertise necessary for the identification and use of accurate work systems can be thought of as a competitive advantage. In other words, we believe that HR specialists still have a major role to play. This role may be displayed in different ways according to organizational culture. In this context tested hypotheses is that the organizational performance is weak for companies in which decisions regarding major HRPM policies are influence more by LMs than by HR specialists. Line managers are assigned with a critical set operational responsibilities which involves day to day operation with a short-term target. Achieving this short-term target is a basis of overall organisational goals. So if line managers get involved more in HR practices, there is a risk of overall failure to achieve organisational goal due to negative impact on operational success. Despite the positive impact may resulted from Line managers involvement in HRPM, recent research has shown that delegating HRPM responsibility carries a number of challenges and risks of line management involvement in HRPM and there are certain complications. Research provides mixed results about the implications of devolution and the competence of line managers in HRPM work more generally. It has been confirmed that workloads of line managers may marginalize their efforts in developing employees and they may not be able to pay sufficient attention to employee development. Performance criteria and reward systems are more likely to consider business results, than a longer term people development role. The responsibility for HRPM is not very often included among line managers performance objectives. Also, it might be difficult for line managers to play two opposing roles of assessor and coach. Moreover, line managers are not specialists in HR practices and may lack confidence, knowledge and organizational support to assume the responsibility for HRPM. Senior managers must be highly supportive in HRPM role of line managers and an incentive system should be developed to motivate them. Furthermore, acting as a HRPM facilitator demands a coaching management style, as opposed to a directive management style. Lack of coaching skills and insufficient line management motivation for this role is reinforced by findings that the least popular HRPM delivery mechanisms include coaching and mentoring. This may be due to the large commitment of time and resources needed. In respect of Employment law the work of Human Resource functions is increasingly controlled by the requirements of the law. There is an extensive risk of avoiding laws that relate to employment, for example laws on health and safety, on diversity and equality, on employment rights, on rights to strike and so on. The state and the law perform three primary roles in relation to employment as: A restrictive role The state provides a set of rules which limit is what is, and is not, allowed in industrial relations. For example the state defines in what situation workers can go on strike and also defines what management can and cannot do in those situations. A regulatory role This defines the basic rights of all workers. This began with rights for relatively safe working for those employed in mines but has expanded to cover everyone in the workplace. It now also covers many aspects of employment, for example legislation on unfair dismissal means that organisations have to keep careful records on performance, disciplinary procedures and grievances. An auxiliary role Many government bodies give advice, for example on health and safety or equal opportunities, that goes beyond the strict statement of the law. As a result of above employment law being involved in HRPM, excessive involvement of Line manager may result to several conflicts as described below. Conflict with line managers The focus of many line managers will be towards achieving their own, and their teams, targets. This may lead to the manager ignoring guidelines and legislation on working hours, bullying, safety and other issues. Those working in an HR role need to focus on the long-term needs of the organisation: good employee/management relations; working within the legislation, and so on. These long-term needs are of greater importance than achieving a teams short-term targets. Employment and conflicting priorities Managers have a primary aim of adding value to their organisation. By LMs short-term benefit may be gained by sacking employees during periods of low activity. In the long term, however, this is likely to adversely affect staff morale and will also incur costs when new recruits must be found in the future. Freedom and control Conflict may occur between managers wishes to exert freedom in how they run their teams and the strategic need of organisations to exert control and work for at least some degree of consistency. As an example think of policies towards overtime. Line managers may want freedom to use overtime as they think suitable resulting inter-team conflict or problems when employees move between teams. Disputes and grievances The ambiguous nature of HR work is perhaps most clear when disputes occur between employees and management. This may involve a grievance by an individual Line Manager (LM); it may involve a major dispute such as a strike. Technological developments assist the process of facilitating greater line-manager involvement in HRPM Technology Technology refers to the information, equipment, techniques processes required to transform inputs into outputs. It is considered as the basic factor in the process of development. The use of technology lead to increase in the productivity of labor, capital others factors of organization. Role of Technology Increasing the productivity of the workers Utilization of the resources Higher level of output per worker. Creation of the employment More profit for the organization Cost minimization When Human Resource Management (HRM) involves Information Technology (IT) then it is called HRM Information Systems (HRMIS) or in short HRIS. In this modern period of time technology is widely used in HR practices even in developing HR strategy and in their implementation. HRIS is an organized approach for obtaining relevant and timely data, analyze and disseminate data and use them in HR practice and management. We now have the technology to allow us to reduce HR administration and to provide improved levels of service to our internal customers. Through HRIS the managers are able to access up-to-date, accurate, concise, relevant and complete information. Because of HR technology HR roles and practices are changing as shown below: The payroll module automates the pay process by gathering data on employee time and attendance, calculating various deductions and taxes, and generating periodic pay cheques and employee tax reports. The work time gathers standardized time and work related efforts. The benefits administration module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee participation in benefits programs. The HR management module is a component covering many other HR aspects from application to retirement. The training module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee training and development efforts. The Employee Self-Service module allows employees to query HRPM related data. Thus, development of Technology played a significant role to overcome barriers preventing LMs from getting involved and it contributed positively to minimize the risk of LMs being more involved in HRPM which illustrated below: More efficient and time saving approach Uses of technology save lots of time in the process where Line Managers are involved. The LMs workloads is minimized and there is availability in time to get involved in HRPM. Better Communication Techno