Strategic Human Resource Planning. Walmart

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer. It is second to china’s military in terms of employment opportunities. The organization faces a high staff turnover rate. With the rate standing at around 50%, it shows gaps in the employee retaining strategy (Berg Roberts, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Human Resource Planning. Walmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Otherwise, it points out to a weak human resource department that fails to articulate needs of its employees. It could also point out to lack of job satisfaction among the employees. Similarly, it could mean that Walmart is unable to stay at par with other organizations in terms of remuneration causing mass exit of employees. Other organizations could also be offering incentives to their workforce thus encouraging employees to stay. With its market presence, the rate of staff turnover can easily ruin the image of the organiza tion. This is especially so gauging on the profit margin that Walmart realizes. It is important, therefore, for Walmart to invest more in the development of its workforce so as to avoid losses as a result of employee exit. It is agreeable that exit of employees has far reaching consequences to any retailer and this does not exclude Walmart. When employees leave, they go with hard earned knowledge to add value to other organizations. Their destiny organizations benefit from the value created by the previous employer. If the business is of the same nature, then it cuts the new employer the cost of training and avoids the low productivity period of induction. This is a direct loss of investment in terms of the training expenditure and time used in developing the employees. There is also a danger of the employees transferring trade secrets that form asymmetries for any organization. The leadership, therefore, has a role to play in mitigating strategies that ensure employees stay in the organization so as to reap the benefits of training vested (Ploetner, 2011). Recommendations The first recommendation involves restructuring of the employee recruitment process. The key to maintaining a stable workforce lies in the ability to formulate attainable objectives prior to recruitment. The department concerned should outline what their expectations are, the key competences desired, and the characteristics of choice. This limits the scope of exploration since the employer already has a checklist to vet the hopefuls. With such a strategy in place, the employer will obtain employees who are best suited for the positions on offer. On the other hand, the employees feel comfortable with their placement and are happy to execute their primary role. It would also be wise not to place the employees in to permanent contracts immediately. This gives room for the employer to continuously vet the recruits for suitability.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's s ee if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Recruits who maintain a high standard of integrity and consistency would form good employees. The level of productivity can also be tested during this stage at minimum risk. The period can also be used to assess how well the recruits blend in with the rest of the employees as well as how they adapt to the organization’s culture. Age should also be taken into consideration during the recruitment process. Older people are more likely to hold on to job positions since they are less ambitious compared to college leaving applicants. After recruitment, new employees should be well inducted to their positions to make sure they understand their job descriptions well. Poor perception of expectations is a main cause of dissatisfaction to employees in an organization usually resulting to attrition (Gatewood et al, 2011). Indirectly, Walmart can discourage attrition through involvement in corporate social respon sibility (CSR) activities. Supporting students in college and high schools through bursaries and sponsorship is one way of instilling a sense of confidence in the organization. When students are supported through school, they tend to develop a liking for such an organization and are more likely to work with dedication. It helps instill loyalty of employees as an obligation or gesture of good faith towards support through school. CSR offers an organization a chance to establish its brand confidence. It helps create a positive attitude for the organization. Though the implications are not direct, giving back to the society encourages workers associated with the brand and increases their loyalty. Issues of environmental protection, sporting activities and cleanliness campaigns would form good points of interaction with the society. The current breed of employees likes having fun while at work. When the activities are incorporated in the monthly schedule, they provide room for interacti on between employees. To some extent, the activities provide additional room for bonding outside of the work environment. This reduces the level of boredom among employees. Bonding creates positive energy and friendship which employees would miss out on if they left. Participating in sporting activities allows employees to loosen up from the tensions of work. Actively participating in charitable events would exhibit the organizations ability to take care of their own. This brings about positive anticipation while encouraging employee residence in the organization. Changing the attitude attributed to an organization can mean a difference in how employees view their employer and, therefore, instill confidence (Gatewood et al, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Human Resource Planning. Walmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Remuneration forms the other area that requires to be addressed. Other than correct placement and good working environment, employees require their financial needs to be adequately met. The recruiting department should set good compensation packages for their employees if loyalty is to be achieved. This can be done through thorough research on how other players in the sector compensate their employees. When employees leave, the target field is usually similar to the former. If the compensation differs within negligible margins, it would be hard for employees to exit if their main reason for departure is compensation. Other benefit packages such as bonuses and flexible working hours encourage employee loyalty. Recognizing and rewarding outstanding employees act as a motivator to others. It also encourages the person rewarded to keep up good work. A clearly outlined reward system such as employee of the month would increase positive competition in the workforce. The anticipation of getting rewarded in the subsequent chance can act as a source of motivation an d lead to production of exemplary results. Extra benefits with financial value encourage more saving. Allowing employees to save in a union would go a step further in enhancing the level of interaction between employees with a common goal. Remuneration packages should be reviewed overtime in a stipulated schedule. When employees are informed on when to expect raises in their wages, they are more likely to stay. Poor wages in an organization such as Walmart would encourage employees to train then depart to other competitors offering better payment packages. This is detrimental since the cost of training new staff exceeds the salary denied to exiting employee (Cascio et al, 2011). Expected Challenges Any firm making major decisions involving restructuring must face unprecedented challenges. However, these challenges only last a while. In order to come up with a working strategy, Walmart may have to reshuffle or redeploy some of the top management, especially those involved directly in recruitment of new employees. If the same people are involved in coming up with new strategies, they resist change and derail the process. Some may not come to terms with being deployed to unfamiliar positions. At the same time, formulating a new team to conduct the recruitment process overhaul requires time for development. The new team has to be trained intensively to change their mindset and become objective oriented. Training has financial implications to any organization. Some officials resist retraining and dismiss it as boring. This leads to the inability to cope with change. As some may argue, the time and financial resources used in effecting the change could find application in formulation of new strategies that advance business. Restructuring also means laying aside people previously thought to add value to the organization when they become an impediment to forward movement. Issues of dealing with retrenchment develop as a by-product of the new strategies.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Coping with change, therefore, becomes a main hurdle when restructuring. At the same time, targeting the older population for employment positions may not sit well with everyone. The young population, though ambitious, is dynamic and flexible and is bound to deliver more units per time. College leavers would take lower wages since they know they are just starting their careers. The older population, on the other hand, seeks to settle and demands job permanency (Gatewood et al, 2011). There is a downside to freedom of forming associations among employees. So far, Walmart has been able to avoid the headaches and legal suits that emerge when employees get into unions. In fighting for rights, employees abuse the privilege and use the associations as leverage to pressurize their employers into meeting unnecessary demands. Walmart would face such challenges if it allows employees to form unions within the organization. Since they have backings in legally registered unions, employees would boycott wok without fear of any repercussions. Employees would take advantage of the conditions to skip work for days and still earn. Productivity levels would reduce leading to shrinkage of profits for the organization. This would in turn slow down growth. Harmonizing the rates given to employees with those of competitors would mean that Walmart spends more in wages and salaries. The main objective of the organization is to reduce the production and other overhead costs in order to maximize profit. This determines the choice of a low wage labor strategy. Paying higher would reduce the overall profitability. Walmart employees provide the organization with a customer base for its products. With the wages they earn, employees can barely afford costs of goods from other stores. Paying higher would cause the employees to seek the products elsewhere. This would mean loss of customers to the outlets. Incentives such as performance rewards can trigger unfair competition between employees. Some employees would do anything to emerge at the top so as to carry the reward. This may create a hostile environment within the organization with employees holding feelings of bitterness. The process may also be a source of bias due to a wide range of parameters that have to be engaged in deciding who deserves the reward. Those found favorable to their supervisors and managers would, definitely, take home the prize (Cascio et al, 2011). Overcoming challenges There are different approaches that Walmart can employ to cope with the challenges. The research and development department should diversify in fields of technology. The aim is introduction of new and easy to use systems that facilitate flow of work without much labor input. This way, employees go about their business with ease and earn wages which correspond to the nature of work they perform. The department would also be mandated in ensuring that the current rates relate to those of competitors. At the same time, the depart ment can come up with interesting ways of functioning which reduce boredom at work and encourage participation. Similarly, Walmart can avert challenges in restructuring by indulging the services of change management consultants. The independent bodies provide an unbiased opinion concerning lay-offs and hiring. The consultants also possess wide scope of knowledge in dealing with problems that emerge during change. Such consultants would take away the headache involved in weighing options that may cause decision making process to procrastinate. The consultants also possess tools that introduce change gradually thus averting anxiety and change shock. Such consultants can make a complex situation appear simple and easy to handle. At the same time, the organization can outsource the function of recruiting to specialized firms. Recruitment process is usually time consuming and tiresome. Countless number of interviews may be held and still guarantee poor results. There are organizations th at specialize in vetting of employees for various positions. Since that is their only function, the recruiting agencies are better placed to develop the recruitment objectives and establish the knowledge skills and abilities that the organization requires in employees. Some even go to the extent of training the employees on their key performance indicators as well as orient them on their job descriptions. In addition, the recruiting agencies run the cycle repeatedly to retain a constant flow of probable employees who can take up positions upon demand. They also retain resumes in a database for ease of retrieval. Using such a strategy takes care of time wasted when interviewing employees at the organization level (Berg Roberts, 2011). There is a wide range of solutions that Walmart can use in rectifying the issue of employee attrition. However, more usually than not, the solutions act contrary to the profit objective of the organization in the short run. Modern solutions cannot take root without restructuring the already existing structures. Improvement strategies always oppose the inherent culture of any organization. Acceptance of change requires investment in education and training in order to avert anxiety and resistance. Change requires renewal of leadership’s mentality or an entirely new leadership that is open minded. Walmart must also invest financially with a focus on the long-term benefits of retaining a stable workforce. The cost of training new employees is high and affects work flow. Currently, the organization is actively seeking expansion in the international market. Developing a stable workforce can facilitate the process of growth since it would only require redeployment of employees to other areas. If Walmart is to remain profitable, the organization must strike the balance between excessive profits and development of its human resource. This is the only way to cope with challenges posed by competitors who are trying to catch up with t he cost benefit approach that the organization uses. Luckily, there are firms specialized in dealing with such challenges no matter the complexity. References Cascio, F.W., Boudreau, J.W., Davis, A., Shannon, J., Russo, D. (2011). HR Strategies for Employee Engagement. New Jersey: FT Press. Gatewood, R.D., Feild, H. S., Barrick, M. R. (2011).  Human resource selection. Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Ploetner, O. (2011). Counter Strategies in Global Markets. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Roberts, B.R., Berg, N. (2012).  Walmart: Key insights and practical lessons from the world’s largest retailer. London: Kogan Page. This essay on Strategic Human Resource Planning. Walmart was written and submitted by user Audrianna Johnston to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Essay Example

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Essay Example Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Paper Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Paper Essay Topic: Flowers for Algernon Even though his mother abandoned him when he was still a child, he wanted to be smart to please her, and make to her proud of him, for reasons explained below. An example of this is this when Professor Newer and Dry. Strauss tell Charlie why he has been chosen to be part of the research. They tell him that he has been picked because of his desire to be smart. Not only does Charlie wants to be smart, but he also wants to please everyone around him. He wants them to be happy and to like him. One of the clearest things about little children other than their innocence is their desire to please adults. Furthermore, childrens main motivation in school is to please their parents and teachers and to make their parents happy. Another common thing among many children is their curiosity. They want to know more. Charlie literally acts like a big child. He really wants to be a smart person. As we learn later on in the book, he wants to go through the process of the operation to make his mother happy, to get her approval and to make her proud of him. As we can see, before the operation Charlie acts like a child stuck in an adults body. : He wants to become smart and to earn. He has the simple curiosity off young child. He wants to do it to please his mother much like a child whose main motivation in school is to please his parents. The reason why Professor Newer and Dry. Strauss have chosen him is because Charlie wants please them and he needs their constant approval in the same way a child desires for the approval of the adults around him/her. Moreover, we can see this happens again when he regresses. At the end of the book he writes maybe ill even get a little bit smarter Which means that even after he regresses he wants to e smart which means he starts to act like he used to before the operation. In his process of development, Charlie first learnt how to use a full stop. He even used it before the operation. The next thing he learnt was comma (,). At first, he used it incorrectly, but then after a while he learns how to use it correctly as well. Towards the end of the book, he forgets how to use the comma and st ops using it. A normal child first learns how to use a full stop/period. It is the easiest and most basic form of punctuation. Shortly after, children learn about the comma. Usually, it is harder for a hill to learn how to use a comma correctly than how to use a full stop. Another hard thing for children to learn is spelling. Much like a child, Charlie first learns how to use a full stop. It was the first punctuation he used and he even used dots before the operation. Moreover, he learns how to use a comma like a child, first he uses it too much and after a while he uses it correctly. During his regression, he stops to use commas all over again. Moreover, his usage of full stops regresses, he has worse sentence structures and he does not use any sophisticated language anymore. Furthermore, he has many spelling mistakes. Charlie was abandoned by his parents when he was a child. When he starts to recover his childhood memories, his personality changes and actually fits the profile of a typical teenager once he learnt something he think he knows everything, he is self-centered and arrogant. He also has serious trouble with women and he has some trust issues. His personality changes slowly (although when compared to that of a teenager it seems accelerated). First, he has problems with Alice. After that, he becomes arrogant and self-centered. He thinks that he is smarter than everyone else and that he can do almost everything without any help. However, when he has to do something, he postpones it or Just ignores it. For example, when he asks the Wellbeing foundation permission to work on his case, he stops taking an interest in it once he gets their permission. A normal teenager who was abandoned by his parents will experience similar problems to those Charlie has and fits the same profile. A teenager who has been abandoned by his parents usually prefers to work alone, and spend time alone. He will most likely eave some commitment issues and the average abandoned teenager will solve his problems by getting drunk or by getting high. An abandoned, teenager is most likely to have a very low CEQ or a very late CEQ development compared to a normal teenager. Moreover, a smart abandoned teenager will not grow up to use his full potential as he will be busy trying to find a mother/father figure in his life and try to make that figure love him by pleasing him/her. Much like an abandoned teenager Charlie prefers to work alone. He has problems with Alice. He is with Fay Just for the sex. He as no real feelings for her. He gets drunk all day and looks for another mother figure in his life Alice, and looks for her constant approval. That being said, his social skills are not as bad as an abandoned teenagers are. The reason of that most likely lies in the fact he is not really a teenager, he is something between a child and an adult and has a fine sense of both for the people around him. He does not want people to suffer as he did, he does not want to be alone all the time nor does he give up about the idea of female figure in his life. He has a relationship with Alice and sexual legislations with Fay. After his regression, his personality changes back to the one of a child; he is innocent; wants to be smart; wants to make everyone proud of him all over again. Towards the end of the book, Charlie begins to regress, his IQ and his CEQ drop, his profile changes back to the one of a child and his knowledge decreases. First, he loses his short term memory which includes knowledge about commas, foreign language and his academic knowledge. However, he does not forget his childhood memories nor does he forget the time before the operation, which is like his second childhood.

The Origins of British Columbia in Canada

The Origins of British Columbia in Canada The province of British Columbia, also known as BC, is one of the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. The name, British Columbia, refers to the Columbia River, which flows from the Canadian Rockies into the American state of Washingon. Queen Victoria proclaimed British Columbia a British colony in 1858. British Columbia is on the west coast of Canada, sharing both a northern and southern border with the United States. To the south are Washington State, Idaho, and Montana, and Alaska is on its northern border. Origin of the Province Name British Columbia refers to the Columbia District, the British name for the territory drained by the Columbia River, in southeastern British Columbia, which was the namesake of the Columbia Department of the Hudsons Bay Company. Queen Victoria chose the name British Columbia to distinguish what was the British sector of the Columbia District from that of the United States or the American Columbia, which became the Oregon Territory on August 8, 1848, as a result of a treaty. The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria, established in 1843, which gave rise to the city of Victoria. The capital of British Columbia remains Victoria. Victoria is the 15th largest metropolitan area of Canada. The largest city in British Columbia is Vancouver, which the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada and the largest in Western Canada. The Columbia River The Columbia River was so named by American sea captain Robert Gray for his ship the Columbia Rediviva, a privately owned ship, which he navigated through the river in May 1792 while trading fur pelts. He was the first non-indigenous person to navigate the river, and his voyage was eventually used as a basis for the United States claim on the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state of Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The Chinook tribe who live near the lower Columbia River, call  the river Wimahl. The Sahaptin people who live near the middle of the river, near Washingon, called it Nch’i-Wna. And, the river is known as swahnetkqhu by the Sinixt people, who live in the rivers upper reaches in Canada. All three terms essentially mean the big river.

Module 2 SLP Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 2 SLP - Coursework Example The clipboard need to uses Mckinsey 7s framework. The framework got its name from a consulting company, Mckinsey and company, which had conducted research and industry (Pascale & Athos, 1981; Peters &Waterman, 1982). The model identified seven variables which the authors called ‘levers’ all began with the letter ‘S’. The seven variables include structure, strategy, system, skills, style, staff and shared values. Other variables exist but the 7S are very important because they can neutralize the effects of other variables and external environment (Elson 2012). Structure is the skeleton of the organizational chart. Strategy is the plan or course of action used in allocating resources to achieve identified over time. The framework defined system as a routinized process and procedures followed within the organization. The staffs are the personnel who perform vary activities in the organization. The key managers are also important in the way they behave to achieve organizational goal. The behaviour of managers is termed as style. Shared value is the glue that binds all the other 6S in an organization. Shared value has a significant meaning or guiding concepts that organizational members share. Most companies believed that the variables consisted of soft variables and important variables. It doesn’t mean that the soft variables were less important. It only meant that the other variables must be considered first before the soft variables can be put into perspectives. The soft variables include; skills, style and shared values (Elson 2012). It is also believed that the soft variables can only affect decisions internally when the other variables (structure, strategy and the system) could affect decisions both internally and externally when dealing with marketing and sales strategy in the region. The 7S framework doesn’t mention the external environment because they believe that the strength and

Sustainable Agricultural System for Cities Research Paper

Sustainable Agricultural System for Cities - Research Paper Example Therefore, food insecurity could become a daily phenomenon to those who are already experiencing shortage of food supply or had serious lack of it in any given time of the year. When food insecurity occurs in a given household it affects children, adults, family members, and in general any given community in the US. According to Economic Research Service (ERS), more than 85% or close to 102 million households in the US had not food insecurity problem in the year 2011. In the US food insecurity occurs when household do not have enough money to buy the food they need for normal sustenance. ERS states that close to 15% or 18 million households in the US falls under the category of food insecure households for the year 2011. Another 9% or around 11 million households in the US had suffered a lower level of food insecurity in 2011 according to the same research agency. Those categorized in this group were better off that the above food insecure group because their case was shortage of food for lack of having enough money and were able to make up for the shortage by relying on federal food assistance programs and by obtaining emergency food from various charitable outlets and pantries. There was also another group labeled as very low food security group that numbers around 7 million and made up 5.9% of the population and such households could have experienced hunger at some time in the year 2011, due to lack of their own resources to obtain the required food supply. Furthermore, it is possible to look at the food insecurity by the number of people who lived in households afflicted by such problems, where around 50 million people had lived in households labeled as food insecure, another 12 million people had lived in a highly food insecure households, while between 8 and 9 million children had lived in food insecure households in the year 2011. This particular program helps around 40

Informative Speech Essay Example for Free

Informative Speech Essay Shay McNeal’s Secret Plot To Save The Tsar states that, On July 17, 1918, the Tsar, his wife, and their four daughters and ailing heir were led down to a basement in Ekaterinburg, Russia, and murdered in cold blood by a Bolshevik firing squad. The DNA analysis and identification of the bones were the conclusive proof the world was waiting for, and the case was considered closed. But is that the real story of the Romanovs? Good afternoon. I’m Abby Cuenca and I’ll share to you today the controversy in regards to the possible escape of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov to the Philippines from the 1918 execution. I will also discuss the evidences presented such as her similar picture with Czarina Alexandra Romanov, coincidental name, grandeur childhood and how she landed in the Pearl of the Orient Seas. Last May 2012, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published an article wherein a lady called Catherine is expressing the possibility that her grandmother could be The Anastasia of Russia. She wrote this article in search of her grandmama’s, her nickname for her grandmother, lineage because she was intrigued ever since she was a child about her past. One thing is definite; Catherine’s grandmama is Russian but the rest of her story about whom she really is still a mystery to be unfold. At the end of my speech, I will be handing out some pictures and the copy of the article around for you to look at. Catherine’s journey of self-discovery started when she traveled to St. Petersburg on May 2009 to trace her Russian roots and to hopefully reunite with her grandmother’s relatives when her mom mentioned the similarities between Czarina Alexandra Romanov and her grandmamma through the photographs Catherine emailed to her. For this reason, Catherine was able to piece together the information of what could be a story begging to be told. To begin with, Catherine’s grandmama’s name is Tasia, a diminutive for Anastasia, which happens to be similar to one of the Czar’s daughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov of Russia. Second, her last name was Kazzuhina, or so how they say and spell it because no one in the family can pronounce it right. But suspiciously, Kazzuhina is similar Knyazhna, which comes from Grand Duchess’ Russian name, Velikaya Knyazhna Anastasiya Nikolayevna Romanova that means Duchess. So if Catherine is saying the truth, then how did the Duchess end up in the Philippines? Grandmama Tasia said she was 18 when she arrived in the Philippines after escaping the Bolshevik Revolution when it escalated in 1918. She disembarked in a Philippine port and brought to a monastery or orphanage somewhere in Manila, where nuns looked after her for some time until she met Catherine’s grandfather, Lope Pelayo. Furthermore, grandmama shared in her stories that â€Å"she was the youngest of four daughters, and the fifth and youngest child of the family was the only boy, Alexei.† She also mentioned on how they lived in a house surrounded by massive walls covered with jewels and enjoy the freshest butter, breads and cheeses because they were made right in their own house and how she rode around in a golden carriage drawn by eight white horses whenever she and her family traveled and that whenever Catherine and her siblings protested on how it all seemed a bit extravagant, she merely smiled and said that it was how they did things back then. But what’s really intriguing is that, Tasia refuses to go out even to the supermarket or church and keeps on rejecting Catherine’s incessant pleas of writing to the Russian embassy about locating their Russian relatives. She always replies in a stern tone of warning: â€Å"If they discover I am here, we will all be killed.† What does this imply? The Romanov case will never be closed despite what some experts say. There will always be theories and stories that circulate and compel people about the truth behind what happened on the dawn of July 17, 1918. Catherine’s grandmama’s story showing compelling evidences such as her name, similar faces, grandeur childhood and arrival to the Philippines is only a part of it. Remember, there will always be two sides of the story. The question is, which side do you believe on?

The Truth is Out There do we Wish to Know :: Free Essay Writer

The Truth is Out There do we Wish to Know The Heart of Darkness The search for truth and knowledge consumes us all at some point in our lives, but we don’t always find what we are looking for in Truth. We wish it to be definitive, but more than that, we search for it with the strong belief that we will find it and be pleased, pleasantly enlightened, and will live better lives for it. In Heart of Darkness, it is shown that this is seldom true. Kurtz was destroyed by the truth he discovered about himself and the world he lived in. He had known and believed a "white" truth about the world he knew. His white truth was one of civilized, genteel ideas and actions. Living amongst the privileged few, the artists, musicians, orators, and other cultured people, he knew nothing of the dark depths of the human heart. When confronted with those horrible realities, he was forced to learn the "black" truth about life and people. His mind couldn’t comprehend the truths he had to accept; it was totally contradicting to what he knew, and so he crumbled, selling his soul to sit among demons and devils. He was hollow inside, had no sense of moral or social responsibility, and the black truth he discovered ate away and destroyed him. He regressed to savage behaviors he had previously repressed and let the darkness fill the cold void within him. Because he knew so much blackness, he was unable to live in society again. He cros sed over and relinquished all ties to the civilized world, for he had lived the white truths to an extreme, so did he live the black truths. Kurtz showed what happens when the white truths and lies of society are taken away. Kurtz lived and found sustenance in that reality, when it vanished and was replaced by another, darker world, he folded. In our society, we live by restraint. For Kurtz in Africa, all the restraints were removed and he was allowed to have as much candy as he wished, even before dinner. This proved to be too much for him, he went to an extreme and was destroyed by the excesses he craved, the very excesses that drove him to the top of the tribes and peoples he conquered.

Mental Disorder Research Paper Essay

Mental stability or mental health is the way humans react to, think about, and feel about what goes on in their everyday lives. It is a psychosomatic and emotional state of being. Throughout history, people with odd or dangerous behaviors were seen as witches or ones possessed by evil spirits. These people were thrown in prisons or institutions to isolate them from others. Not too long ago, in the 1950’s with a great deal of research and much more highly developed technology many people with mental disorders have been treated. In America, more than 45 million adults suffer from a mental disorder (MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE FAMILY: RECOGNIZING WARNING SIGNS AND HOW TO COPE). That’s about 25 percent of people over the age of 18. Many of these people fail to realize that they have a mental illness or succeed in hiding it from others. When these disorders remain ignored they lead to harmful stages in ones life such as, drug abuse, suicide, violence, or conflicts with family and friends. When ones behavior is labeled as a mental disorder it influences the way that person and the others around that person perceives them. Education about mental disorders is necessary (What is mental illness?). In society today, how people distinguish one with a mental disorder and one without a mental disorder is by judging them as â€Å"normal† or â€Å"abnormal.† Today’s normal is considered as the acceptance in society. Abnormal labels people who are not considered â€Å"socially normal.† People use the term â€Å"mental illness† as if it is something abnormal and weird. A mental disorder is known as unhealthy (Susin, Janet). But when we think of an illness, the first thing that comes to mind is a physical sickness. If a young child is physically abused throughout his life, his different personality is a way to deal with the disturbance in his life. If the child doesn’t find a way to deal with this, he or she will want to find dif ferent ways to deal with it such as suicide. Their behavior or what is known as the â€Å"disorder,† is healthier than not going through the process of healing with that behavior (Talking To Kids About Mental Illnesses). Stigma, judgment and separation of people are the product of misunderstandings about mental disorders (Corrigan, Patrick W., and Amy C. Watson). Mental illnesses are not due to any variety of brain damages. Although they are like physical illnesses such as lung cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, people with mental disorders are not treated the same as those with a physical illness. A variety of mental disorders such as bipolar disorder have the ability to run in families. But, most victims develop one without any signs of family history. When one is found to have a mental disorder, the factor that set off their disorder is an event that took place in their life. Factors such as a death of a loved one, financial suffering, unemployment, physical abuse, and sexual abuse can contribute to the start of a mental disorder. This makes every single human susceptible to one (Corrigan, Patrick W., and Amy C. Watson). People with mental disorders are rarely dangerous. Even those with the most serious illness are not dangerous when receiving support. Just like physical illnesses, a mental disorder is treatable. It is possible for one to completely recover if treated early on and properly. It is also possible that the mental disorder can reappear and necessitate constant treatment (What is mental illness?). The largest struggle for someone with a mental illness or someone recovering from one is the confrontation of unnecessary manners of the people around him or her. This is why it is necessary to provide support for those who are suffering. Encouragement and the optimistic behaviors of family, friends, and members of the community are essential to providing those who cope with mental disorders with the support that they need (SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH). Encouraging them to continue with a medication or with therapy will help them believe that that they can achieve mental stability. Altering yourself and working with them will help solve the problems that they are faced with. Increasing your own ability to understand what this person is dealing with will help you talk to and counsel them. Although peo ple with mental disorders are rarely dangerous, talk to them about why they should go see a therapist or go seek help instead of telling them or debating with them (What is mental illness?). The conditions in which a person is born, grows up in, lives, and works are significant factors when it comes to having a mental disorder. Also factors such as sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, gender, and one’s socioeconomic status has to do with someone’s disorder (SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH). These factors are known as the social determinants of health. The social determinants of health provide a more complete interpretation of what the initial reason of illness is and what it will take to restore their health. Addressing the social determinants of health will reach out to state government and make them direct a population in a better way regarding the influence of social determinants. As children, around thirty percent of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender have been physically abused by members of their family because of their sexual orientation. These individuals have a 1.5 times higher risk for depression and anxiety disorders throughout their life t han heterosexuals. Thirty percent of African Americans are more likely to have a severe psychological distress than Non- Hispanic Whites. The infant death rate of American Indians and Alaska Natives is forty percent higher than the infant death rate of Caucasians (SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH). Raising awareness of the social determinants of health will have a significant impact on the mental health of individuals and their communities. Adolescents need to know about mental disorders just as much as anyone over the age of 18. Kids are naturally questionable about mental illnesses. The importance of learning the warning signs of mental disorders and how to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness can affect the futures of children. Many kids often make fun of other kids because they seem weird. If children are taught that these problems are not the fault of the others who have them, they will less likely make other students feel ashamed (Talking To Kids About Mental Illnesses) . This should be taught as a part of a health class and if not taught in school, must be taught by the parents of a child. Children in pre-school will have questions about what they can see and focus on. They will mostly notice other kids who are screaming and crying. Children as young as this will need less information because of their limited ability to understand. As children go into elementary school they will question the specifics and their questions will be straightforward. Their concerns will be towards the safety of their friends or family if they see something unusual. Teenagers are able to understand just as much as an adult and they will ask more complicated questions. They will ask their friends about anything that they’re curious about. This results in false or misunderstood information (Susin, Janet). Parents need to provide correct information to their children with support and advice. Everyday people with serious mental disorders are challenged. While they are facing with the challenges that come from their disorder, they are also confronted by the misconceptions and prejudice towards their illness. Public stigma is the common reaction given towards people with mental disorders by the public. Self-stigma is the intolerance people with mental disorders give themselves (Corrigan, Patrick W., and Amy C. Watson). There are a few views on which people have about mental illness. There are thoughts that people with mental disorders should be feared and be kept out of their communities. Some people feel that people with mental disorders are not capable of making their own decisions and need to have their life decisions made by others because they are irresponsible. This is known as authoritarianism. Benevolence is the idea that people with mental illness are not able to take care of themselves and need to be taken care of (Corrigan, Patrick W., and Amy C. Watson). Learning about mental disorders will show the way to early recognition and treatment. Educating children at an early age will help them prevent a mental disorder in their own life. By learning about mental disorders, one’s recognition of their mental disorder becomes easier. This gives them the ability to act fast and treat their disorder (ME NTAL ILLNESS AND THE FAMILY: RECOGNIZING WARNING SIGNS AND HOW TO COPE). One without a mental disorder can also notice that someone has one and will fight the stigma that surrounds the disorder. There have been cases in which teenagers with mental disorders realized that if they had a lesson on mental illnesses it would have made a big difference in their lives. The only way to change the view of people towards those with mental disorders is to educate them on why some of these people have their illness (Susin, Janet).

All I really need to know I Learned in Kindergarten Essay

I can remember my mother telling me for a few weeks before the first day how wonderful school was going to be and how I would meet loads of new friends. She also told me that the other kids are going to be scared just like I was. Turning five years old, and knowing that it was time for me to begin school already, was really very scary. The thought of waking up early and going to school and not being with my mom all morning made me feel sick to my stomach, but I just had to suck it up and go. The first day of kindergarten I was sad but also excited at the same time because I was going to meet new friends and I was going to get to play with them during recess. I remember walking into school with my new back pack; they were the ones that had to two little wheels on it so you wouldn’t have to carry it. As I was getting dropped off and hearing my mom telling me bye I started to cry. Being really close to my mom I didn’t want her to leave me there all alone. So we walked in together and she told me that I was going to be all right. My mom and my new teacher, Mrs. Fossum were having a hard time getting me to stay there. After they saw that I wouldn’t stay, my mom had to stay there with me thru out that whole day. As the first day went on I was making a bunch of friends with my new classmates. When the second day came I wanted my mom to stay at school but I realized that she had to go to work. After she had left I saw a table that had some crayons and some paper on it, so I ventured over to it and stood by the seat watching to see if anyone was going to stop me from drawing. No one came so I took a seat, a piece of paper, and of course a blue coloring pencil just like the one I had at home and started to draw. When the other children saw that I was already hard at work with my drawing, which somewhat looked like a cow, they came and sat down with me. Even the child that didn’t want to leave his father noticed me and came over and started to draw. The little boy started to ask me questions and once he started then everyone started to include me into their group. I learned at a young age that I was not very comfortable meeting new people and doing thing on my own. My mother realized that Mitchell School system was too big of a school for my type of personality and that I do better when I don’t have to adapt to much change.

Hindus Practice Many Rituals Collectively Known As Sansakaras Religion Essay Essays

Hindus Practice Many Rituals Collectively Known As Sansakaras Religion Essay Essays Hindus Practice Many Rituals Collectively Known As Sansakaras Religion Essay Essay Hindus Practice Many Rituals Collectively Known As Sansakaras Religion Essay Essay Hindus pattern many rites jointly known as Sansakaras. These rites or sanskaras depict events in the life rhythm of a Hindu individual. Harmonizing to the ancient texts in Hinduism, most important events in the life rhythm include Birth, Marriage, and Death. These Are Explained as Follows: Mix Christianity presentation Initiation Birth: In Hinduism, birth of a kid is considered a spiritual ceremonial, and involves many rites. Some of the common rites, practiced by about all Hindus at the clip of birth of a kid, and their significance are discussed below. These rites initiate a kid into Hinduism and are jointly referred to as birth rites. The first 1 is Garbhadhana or Impregnation rites. This ritual includes a planned sexual intercourse, between a hubby and his married woman, performed in a certain manner, to gestate the best possible babe. The sex during Garbhadhana is non for pleasance but for developing a good or godly psyche in the uterus of the married woman. Garbhadhana is strictly religious, and is considered to be really indispensable. It is required to dwell the universe with good psyches. This is explained by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, Sexual activity aimed at making godly kids is every bit good as God Himself. balam balavatam caham A kama-raga-vivarjitam A dharmaviruddho bhutesu A kamo smi bharatarsabha I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is non contrary to spiritual rules, O Godhead of the Bharatas ( Hindu ) . Jatakarma is the ritual performed to welcome the babe into this universe. It is performed right before the umbilical cord is cut. In this ritual, male parent of the kid feeds honey to the babe and chant supplications or mantras in babe s ear. This ritual is supposed to increase the aptitude of the kid and spiritually assist him or her to take a long and healthy life. In add-on, it represents that the presence of the kid is desired and appreciated in the household. Namakarana, intending to give a name, is the rite in which the kid is given a name, which is meaningful and animating. A good name is really of import for the kid because its significance reminds him of a intent or an aim in life and inspires him to carry through that aim. By and large there is a get-together, in which, Sweets are distributed among household and friends after a name has been given to the babe. Mundan is the ritual where, first haircut of the kid is performed. In this ritual, all the hairs on kid s caput are removed and poured into the nearest holy H2O organic structure. The remotion of these hairs signifies the remotion of any lacks in the kid, and is considered to excite growing of the nervous system. Another induction rite, called as Upanayana, is performed for male childs in Hinduism. It is carried out right before the pubescence starts. This ritual marks the 2nd birth of the kid as he begins his journey of religious self-construction. In this ceremonial, the male child acknowledges his responsibilities towards his faith and his privileges ensuing from Hinduism. During Upanayana ceremonial, a sacred yarn is tied around the waist of the male child. This thread consists of three separate symbolic togss intending to, worship God, show love and regard to parents, and learn from the spiritual instructor ( Hindu ) . Although, a kid is born into Hinduism by assorted birth rites, a male child kid is once more initiated into the faith through Upanayana ritual. Christian religion on the other manus, has few important specific rites for birth. One common pattern in Roman Catholics is where the female parent goes to the church, certain yearss after giving birth to a kid, to thank God for a successful birth. By making this, she re-enters her spiritual community after gestation, and therefore this pattern is sometimes referred to as a purity rite. The most important ritual associated with birth is baptism of the babe. It represents the babe s beginning into Christianity. It is by and large performed from 0 to 6 months after the birth of the babe. It is by and large performed by the curate of the church, when he pours the holy H2O and says, I baptise you ( or, The retainer of God ( name ) is baptized ) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ( see Matthew 28:19 ) . Harmonizing to bible, baptism is a demand for redemption ( Mark 16:16 ; Titus 3:5 ) . Baptism pictures the decease and entombment of our old ego and our Resurrection to a new life in Jesus Christ as Romans 6 Tells us: Or do you non cognize that every bit many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His decease? A Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into decease, that merely as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorification of the Father, even so we besides should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the similitude of His decease, surely we besides shall be in the similitude of His Resurrection, cognizing this, that our old adult male was crucified with Him, that the organic structure of wickedness might be done off with, that we should no longer be slaves of wickedness. For the decease that He ( Jesus ) died, He died to transgress one time for all ; A but the life that He lives, He lives to God. A Likewise you besides, reckon yourselves to be dead so to transgress, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ( Romans 6:3-6, 10-11, NKJV ) ( biblestudy ) . This poetry and its description in biblestudy.org clearly demarcates that the wickednesss of a individual are forgiven and washed off by acquiring baptized because through baptism, the individual symbolizes that he is sorry for all his wickednesss but now he has complete religion in Jesus, and is willing to populate a good life under the shadow of Jesus Christ. Although, infant baptism is performed shortly after the birth of a kid, it can be compared to the Hindu induction rite of Upanayana because of the similar intents of the two rites. After baptism, a Catholic kid is regarded as a member of the church and a complete relationship is established between the kid and the church. Therefore, it is clear that like Upanayana, Baptism marks the beginning of spiritual instruction. Confirmation to baptism occurs when the immature individual can knowingly and freely choose Christian religion, ( 21 cite this ) . This happens at an age similar to the age of Upanayana ritual in Hinduism. For both these rites, a cardinal alteration takes topographic point in the life of the individual undergoing the ritual, and this alteration is considered a metempsychosis as a fresh individuality with new religion, responsibilities, and privileges. Harmonizing to Christianity, a individual can non achieve redemption without being baptized, and baptism can be considered as an induction towards redemption by taking a good life and following the way of righteousness. Likewise, Upanayana ceremonial in Hinduism is the induction on the route to spiritual instruction that finally leads to salvation through good karma. However, unlike baptism, Upanayana rite is performed merely for male childs. In add-on, if an grownup wants to change over to christianity Marriage Death Beliefs Hindooism Christian religion Decision Hindu Child Birth, Rituals Related to Hindu Birth, Hindu Birth Samskars. Hindu Religious Portal, Hinduism, Hindu Religion. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.religiousportal.com/HinduChildbirth.html gt ; . What Does Baptism SYMBOLIZED? BibleStudy.org: You Have Questions. The Bible Has Answers! Web. 02 Nov. 2010. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.biblestudy.org/question/what-does-baptism-symbolize.html gt ; .

A Beginners Guide to the Enlightenment

A Beginners Guide to the Enlightenment The Enlightenment has been defined in many different ways, but at its broadest was a philosophical, intellectual and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It stressed reason, logic, criticism, and freedom of thought over dogma, blind faith, and superstition. Logic wasn’t a new invention, having been used by the ancient Greeks, but it was now included in a worldview which argued that empirical observation and the examination of human life could reveal the truth behind human society and self, as well as the universe. All were deemed to be rational and understandable. The Enlightenment held that there could be a science of man  and that the history of mankind was one of progress, which could be continued with the right thinking. Consequently, the Enlightenment also argued that human life and character could be improved through the use of education and reason. The mechanistic universe – that is to say, the universe when considered to be a functioning machine – could also be altered. The Enlightenment thus brought interested thinkers into direct conflict with the political and religious establishment; these thinkers have even been described as intellectual â€Å"terrorists† against the norm. They challenged religion with the scientific method, often instead favoring deism. The Enlightenment thinkers wanted to do more than understand, they wanted to change for, as they believed, the better: they thought reason and science would improve lives. When Was the Enlightenment? There is no definitive starting or ending point for the Enlightenment, which leads many works to simply say it was a seventeenth and eighteenth-century phenomena. Certainly, the key era was the second half of the seventeenth century and almost all of the eighteenth. When historians have given dates, the English Civil wars and revolutions are sometimes given as the start, as they influenced Thomas Hobbes and one of the Enlightenment’s (and indeed Europe’s) key political works, Leviathan. Hobbes felt that the old political system had contributed to the bloody civil wars and searched for a new one, based on the rationality of scientific inquiry. The end is usually given as either the death of Voltaire, one of the key Enlightenment figures, or the start of the French Revolution. This is often claimed to have marked the downfall of the Enlightenment, as attempts to rework Europe into a more logical and egalitarian system collapsed into bloodshed which killed leading writers. Its possible to say that we are still in the Enlightenment, as we still have many of the benefits of their development, but Ive also seen it said were in a post-Enlightenment age. These dates do not, in themselves, constitute a value judgment. Variations and Self-Consciousness One problem in defining the Enlightenment is that there was a great deal of divergence in the leading thinkers views, and it is important to recognize that they argued and debated with each other over the correct ways to think and proceed. Enlightenment views also varied geographically, with thinkers in different countries going in slightly different ways. For instance, the search for a â€Å"science of man† led some thinkers to search for the physiology of a body without a soul, while others searched for answers to how humanity thought. Still, others tried to map humanity’s development from a primitive state, and others still looked at the economics and politics behind social interaction. This might have led to some historians wishing to drop the label Enlightenment were it not for the fact that the Enlightenment thinkers actually called their era one of Enlightenment. The thinkers believed that they were intellectually better off than many of their peers, who were still in a superstitious darkness, and they wished to literally ‘lighten’ them and their views. Kant’s key essay of the era, â€Å"Was ist Aufklrung† literally means â€Å"What is Enlightenment?†, and was one of a number of responses to a journal which had been trying to pin down a definition. Variations in thought are still seen as part of the general movement. Who Was Enlightened? The spearhead of the Enlightenment was a body of well-connected writers and thinkers from across Europe and North America who became known as the philosophes, which is the French for philosophers. These leading thinkers formulated, spread and debated the Enlightenment in works including, arguably the dominant text of the period, the Encyclopà ©die. Where historians once believed that the philosophes were the sole carriers of Enlightenment thought, they now generally accept that they were merely the vocal tip of a much more widespread intellectual awakening among the middle and upper classes, turning them into a new social force. These were professionals such as lawyers and administrators, office holders, higher clergy and landed aristocracy, and it was these who read the many volumes of Enlightenment writing, including the Encyclopà ©die and soaked up their thinking. Origins of the Enlightenment The scientific revolution of the seventeenth century shattered old systems of thinking  and allowed new ones to emerge. The teachings of the church and Bible, as well as the works of classical antiquity so beloved of the Renaissance, were suddenly found lacking when dealing with scientific developments. It became both necessary and possible for philosophes (Enlightenment thinkers) to begin applying the new scientific methods - where empirical observation was first applied to the physical universe - to the study of humanity itself to create a â€Å"science of man†. There was not a total break, as the Enlightenment thinkers still owed a lot to Renaissance humanists, but they believed they were undergoing a radical change from past thought. Historian Roy Porter has argued that what in effect happened during the Enlightenment was that the overarching Christian myths were replaced by new scientific ones. There is a lot to be said for this conclusion, and an examination of how science is being used by commentators does seem to greatly support it, although thats a highly controversial conclusion. Politics and Religion In general, Enlightenment thinkers argued for freedom of thought, religion, and politics. The philosophes were largely critical of Europe’s absolutist rulers, especially of the French government, but there was little consistency: Voltaire, critic of the French crown, spent some time at the court of Frederick II of Prussia, while Diderot traveled to Russia to work with Catherine the Great; both left disillusioned. Rousseau has attracted criticism, especially since World War 2, for appearing to call for authoritarian rule. On the other hand, liberty was widely espoused by Enlightenment thinkers, who were also largely against nationalism and more in favor of international and cosmopolitan thinking. The philosophes were deeply critical, indeed even openly hostile, to the organized religions of Europe, especially the Catholic Church whose priests, pope, and practices came in for severe criticism. The philosophes were not, with perhaps some exceptions like Voltaire at the end of his life, atheists, for many still believed in a god behind the mechanisms of the universe, but they railed against the perceived excesses and constraints of a church they attacked for using magic and superstition. Few Enlightenment thinkers attacked personal piety and many believed religion performed useful services. Indeed some, like Rousseau, were deeply religious, and others, like Locke, worked out a new form of rational Christianity; others became deists. It was not religion which irked them, but the forms and corruption of those religions. Effects of the Enlightenment The Enlightenment affected many areas of human existence, including politics; perhaps the most famous examples of the latter are the US Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. Parts of the French Revolution are often attributed to the Enlightenment, either as recognition or as a way to attack the philosophes by pointing to violence such as the Terror as something they unwittingly unleashed. There is also debate about whether the Enlightenment actually transformed popular society to match it, or whether it was itself transformed by society. The Enlightenment era saw a general turn away from the dominance of the church and the supernatural, with a reduction in belief in the occult, literal interpretations of the Bible and the emergence of a largely secular public culture, and a secular â€Å"intelligentsia† able to challenge the previously dominant clergy. The Enlightenment of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries era was followed by that of a reaction, Romanticism, a turn back to the emotional instead of the rational, and a counter-Enlightenment. For a while, in the nineteenth century, it was common for the Enlightenment to be attacked as the liberal work of utopian fantasists, with critics pointing out there were plenty of good things about humanity not based on reason. Enlightenment thought was also attacked for not criticizing the emerging capitalist systems. There is now a growing trend to arguing that the results of the Enlightenment are still with us, in science, politics and increasingly in western views of religion, and that we are still in an Enlightenment, or heavily influenced post-Enlightenment, age. More on the effects of the Enlightenment. There has been a lean away from calling anything progress when it comes to history, but youll find the Enlightenment easily attracts people willing to call it a great step forward.

Doing business globally and internationally Essay

Doing business globally and internationally - Essay Example Seemingly, its merger with the Russian TNK has faced distinct challenges. It is against this background that this paper reviews the implications of the TNK-BP deal from varied perspectives. Part A Question 1: In order for an organization to perform optimally in an international environment, Thomas and Inkson (2009) posit that it needs to actively engage the locals in its operations. From this point of view, this can be used to explain why BP chose to enter into partnership with TNK. Partnering with a local company would enable it pursue its operations in a sustainable manner. This is because local parners understand the local environment better and can enable the company to explore emergent market niches in a timely manner. To a great extent, this was a demonstration of corporate social responsibility by the BP Company. Seemingly, TNK is comprised of local partners who are financially endowed. At this point, it can be argued that these are representative of both the majority and mino rity factions of the corporate community. In his research, Peng (2003) cites that a more inclusive approach to partnership by international firms yields better outcomes. By including partners from diverse backgrounds, BP sought to minimize market resistance and explore any opportunities optimally. In return, the locals would have a chance to share in the economic benefits of the company. Another reason that influenced BP’s decision to partner with TNA pertains to the financial stability of its members. From a theoretical point of view, Peterson (2004) argues that in the current business environment, a financially stable partner is comparatively more desirable than his or her counterpart. In this regard, some of the partners in TNK are reportedly billionaires with global investments. A typical example in this regard is the Russian tycoon Vekselberg. Arguably, it was sure about economic success and future sustenance. Thus the economic stability of these partners greatly influen ced the decision of BP. The equal interests in the Verkhnechonsk, Rospan and Kovykta fields that BP had with TNK could also have informed BP’s decision to partner with TNK. Both partners contributed holdings in Russia Petroleum and SIDANCO. From these initiatives, it can be argued that they had similar economic interests. This demonstrates their interests to explore similar market niches. In this regard, BP thought it wise to invest with a partner that that had similar economic interests like him. In their review, Phatk, Bhagat and Kashlak (2008) indicate that in such an arrangement, it would be easier to make business deals and implement them accordingly. Upon merging, this would save the company significant resources that it would use to source for manpower. The fact that the two companies initially ventured in similar businesses implies that they had sufficient manpower from which they would source their human resource upon merging. Question 2: As aforementioned, the busin ess environment from an international point of view is very competitive. Thus once and corporate agency has identified a market niche in a foreign country, it needs to take all practical measures to safeguard this. Although BP wanted to include local firms in its operations, as one of the strategies of enhancing